• About Burnaby

  • About Get to know Burnaby – urban centre, heritage site, Maclean’s magazine’s “best run city”	Community Links Link to the Burnaby Board of Trade, Tourism Burnaby and a variety of community associations
    Getting Around Search locations, maps, and ways to get around Burnaby by car, bike, or public transit	Strategic Directions Learn about Burnaby’s vision as a livable, sustainable, and thriving City
    News & Media Read up on what’s new and what’s relevant for citizens and businesses in the City	Education Read about the school system and post-secondary education options available in Burnaby
    Photos & Videos Browse photos and videos that showcase our open spaces, facilities and culture	Sister Cities Explore our sister cities from around the globe

    Tourism Burnaby Discover hotels, attractions, restaurants and shopping	Burnaby Awards The City of Burnaby has been honoured with many awards

• Things To Do

  • Calendar of Events Check in with our calendar of City sponsored and supported events	Be Active Programs Find programs that fit your lifestyle, register online or buy a B Active Pass	Community Centres Find information regarding local recreational facilities
    Arts & Heritage Explore the arts through classes, theatre, exhibits, museum and more	Outdoor Facilities Be active and get some fresh air at our outdoor facilities	Golf Courses Play, practice or learn at two 18 hole courses or our new driving range
    Explore Outdoors Uncover the natural beauty of Burnaby parks, trails, dog-friendly sites and play areas	Festivals & Events Don’t miss out on the culture and the fun that make Burnaby truly unique	Library Browse our local libraries and find the facility nearest you
    Visitor Resources Search our most popular attractions and visit the Burnaby Tourism Booth online	Be Involved Connect with your community. Volunteer, donate, and meet our outstanding citizens

    Leisure Guide Be Active! Register for programs today	Take a Hike Explore Burnaby's parks and trails!	Summer Camps Summer fun for everyone!

• City Services

  • Garbage and Recycling Find a collection schedule and learn about the City’s waste reduction programs	Bylaws & Enforcement Learn about our local bylaws and enforcement policies	Policies, Projects & Initiatives Learn about Burnaby’s vision as a livable, sustainable and expanding urban centre
    Public Safety Learn about Burnaby RCMP, Emergency Programs and more	Permits and Licences Get the necessary permit or licence for your business, construction site or home	Rentals & Catering Find rates and information on rentals in Burnaby
    Fire Department Learn about the department, fire prevention and fire extinguisher training	Planning Obtain information on current, proposed and future uses of land in the City	Property Taxes Find information on taxes, fees and online payments
    Roads & Traffic Keep up with traffic conditions and road work, and submit maintenance requests	Building Apply for permits, request inspections and report any safety or construction concerns	Water & Sewers Learn new ways to conserve water, read about liquid waste and sewer systems

    Maps Find a map for cycle routes, waterways, trails or parks

    Environment Learn about programs and public education topics

    Rentals Book your wedding at one of our venues

• Doing Business

  • Burnaby Business Profile Find out who does business in Burnaby and why it is a strong centre for business and economy	Places To Do Business Learn about the town, urban, and business centres that lend to our strong business sector
    Business With Burnaby Find current bid opportunities and access rental information for doing business with Burnaby	Filming Access information, permits and application forms for filming in Burnaby
    BizPaL Use BizPaL to get your business started with a customized list of permits and licences	Business Property Safety Read about our initiatives on property safety and principles for crime reduction
    Permits & Licences Get the necessary permit or licence for your business, construction site or home	Business Watch Crime prevention initiative to improve information sharing and reporting of suspicious activity

    Burnaby Board of Trade Recognized for its leadership, the Board supports local businesses	Bid Opportunities with the City Learn more about how to do business with the City

• Our City Hall

  • Contacts & Location Find us at City Hall or locate a phone number in our City Directory	Financial Reports Learn about City Budgets and read through our Annual Financial Plan
    Mayor & Council Meet our City Council, Boards, and Committees, and access meetings and reports online	Publications & Forms Get public access to City documents and forms
    City Departments Contact a specific department or access archived information	Elections Learn about municipal elections in Burnaby and access information from past elections
    Bylaws Get full and direct access to all City Bylaws	Requesting Information Methods to access City records and information

    Boards, Committees & Commissions View agendas, minutes and membership lists	Live Council Meeting Webcast Meetings are held on Mondays at 7 PM in the Council Chamber

FAQs

The Building Department deals with all sorts of construction issues, and we get a lot of questions. If you can't find the answer that you need here, you can give us a call at 604-294-7130 or email us at building@burnaby.ca. If we can't answer your question, we'll get you to someone who can.

I want to ask about:

Trees  Fences & Walls  Refunds & Fees  Permits  Renovating & Repairs  Building a New House  Building Site Nearby  Electrical Work  Plumbing Work

Gas Work  Inspectors & Inspections  Messy Yards & Sites  Complaints  Signs  My Property  Suites  Heating

Trees

• Do I need a permit for removing residential trees?
  • Yes, if:
    1. - you are demolishing or building a house or duplex
    2. - your house is less than a year old
    3. - you have trees in a covenant
    4. - you have trees close to a creek or ravine

  • No, if you don't fit in the categories above.

• Can I cut trees that belong to the City of Burnaby?

  • No. If you have an issue with a City tree, please call 604-297-4500. We will send one of our field arborists to take care of any required work.

Fences & Walls

• Should there be fencing on a commercial construction site?

  • The Building Code states that when a construction or demolition activity may constitute a hazard to the public a fence or barricade not less than 1.8 m high shall be erected between the site and a public way or open sides of a construction site.

• Should there be fencing around a residential construction site

  • The Building Code states that when a construction or demolition activity may constitute a hazard to the public a fence or barricade not less than 1.8 m high shall be erected between the site and a public way or open sides of a construction site.

• My neighbour's retaining wall might fall onto my property. Am I responsible for the damage?

  • No.  If it is your neighbour's wall, your neighbour is responsible for it and any damage it causes.

• How can I find out who owns a particular retaining wall?

  • People own the walls on their property. Find out where the property line is, where the wall is, and you have the owner.

• Who pays to rebuild a fence?

  • The person building the fence is responsible for any costs. There is no law that says you have to have a fence (unless you have a swimming pool), or pay for a fence that someone else wants to build, or share the cost of a fence.

• How high can my fence be?

  • The rule of thumb is 3' in the front yard and 6' in the rear yard. There are a few exceptions (around Brentwood Mall, in industrial areas).

Refunds & Fees

• How do I get my refund on damage deposits, once my Building Permit has been finalized?

  • Contact the Engineering Department.

• How do I get my refund on Tree permits?

  • The City of Burnaby will send you the money. We hold the Tree deposit for a year after replacement trees are planted properly. We diarise the date, reinspect, call you to confirm your address, then arrange for a refund cheque to be sent. If you want to confirm when we'll be out to look at the trees (and send you a cheque) call Geoff Gooderham at 604-294-7921.

• What do you charge for permit fees?

  • Permit fees are based on the value of the work done. You can Check the Permit Fees Schedule or call 604-294-7130.

• Can I make permit payments by credit card?

  • Yes.  You can pay by Visa, MasterCard or Amex for permit fee that cost not more than $1,000.

Permits

• Do I need a permit?
  • Yes, if you are:
    1. demolishing an existing building or building a new building, addition, decks, garages or carports
    2. moving walls, changing roofs, adding windows and doors
    3. adding piping (for example to move or add a sink or a tub)
    4. adding wiring and electrical outlets
  • No, if you are:
    1. changing cabinets, flooring or fixtures
    2. building a fence
    3. building patio
    4. doing maintenance repairs
• Do I need a permit to remove an underground oil tank?

  • Yes.  Information about tank decommissioning permits can be found in our Oil Tanks Brochure.

• Do I need a permit for maintenance work of an existing building?

  • No.

• Do I need a permit to change siding, replacing roofing, windows, etc.?

  • No, but if you change the way the roof is built, or put in more or larger windows, then you will need a permit.

• What do I need to apply for a permit?

  • If you are applying for a Building Permit generally you'll need drawings, surveys, and anything else related to the project.

    If you're applying for a Trades permit, you'll need to fill out the appropriate application form.

• Can I download an application/complaint form?

  • Yes.  Visit our index of all Applications and Forms for the Building Department.

• What is the processing time for a building permit for a new house?

  • It can take four (4) to six (6) weeks to issue the building permit.

Renovations & Repairs

• I want to renovate my home, do I need any permits?

  • It depends on what you are doing. If you are simply changing cabinets, flooring or fixtures, then you don't need a permit. If you are adding piping (for example to move or add a sink or a tub) or moving walls, changing roofs or adding windows and doors, decks or electrical outlets, then you will need a permit.

• Do I need rainscreen in a building envelope repair or when I change the siding?

  • No, if you are only repairing or changing the siding.

Building a New House

• What size of house can I build on my lot?

  • The size of house you can build depends on the size of the lot and the zoning of the lot. For the most accurate and up to date information, please call us at 604-294-7130.

• What sort of documents do I need to apply for a permit?

  • Building Permit Application for Single and Two Family Dwellings is a brochure that outlines all the Building permit application requirements for single and two family homes.

Building Site Nearby

• How do I find out if they have a permit?

  • You can give us a call at 604-294-7130.

• Are they building according to plans?

  • Our Building Inspectors make sure that the works matches the approved plans.

• When can they start/finish work?

  • Allowable work hours:

    1. - Monday to Friday - 7am-8pm
    2. - Saturday - 9am-8pm
    3. - Sunday and Stat Holidays - No construction allowed unless you are doing some minor work of your own house.

    For any other questions related to construction hour, please contact Engineering Department at 604-294-7460.

• Do I have to let them use my water or electricity?

  • No.  You have no obligation to provide these services.

Electrical Work

• How long will it take for electrical power to be restored to my house if it's been disconnected?

  • We notify BC Hydro when it is okay to reconnect. It takes Hydro 3 to 5 working days to reconnect the power. If your house has been disconnected for safety reason, we have to do a special safety inspection and all infractions have to be corrected before we inform Hydro to reconnect.

• I want to do some electrical upgrades on my house, do I need a permit and can I obtain the permit as a homeowner?

  • You need a permit if you are adding wiring or fixtures, or changing the panel.

    You can apply for a permit to work on your own house but we'll ask you to write a straightforward competency test to make sure you are capable of doing the upgrades.

• Do I need a permit to setup a pole at my site to get electrical service?

  • Yes.  You need an electrical permit for a temporary saw service.

Plumbing Work

• Where can I use combustible plumbing pipes?

  • Check with the Building Inspector.

• Can I do plumbing work on my own house?

  • Changing sinks, tubs, or taps does not require a permit. Adding piping, on the other hand, will require a permit. You can do it yourself, but you will have to sign a Homeowner's Declaration before we issue the permit to you. Homeowners applying for a permit will have to submit a drainage and water pipe drawing.

Gas Work

• Do gas fireplaces installation require a permit?

  • Yes.  You need a permit to install a new fireplace, and to repair or replace an existing fireplace.

• What do I do if I suspect there are carbon monoxide emission inside my home?

  • Immediately contact Terasen Gas at 1-800-663-9911.

Inspectors & Inspections

• How can I talk to an inspector?

  • Inspectors are in the office for phone calls from 8:00 am to 8:30 am. After this time they will be out for inspections and are unavailable. Please call 604-294-7130 to get in touch with an inspector.

• Can I book inspections online?

  • No.  Please call 604-294-7130 between 8:30 am and 3:00 pm to book an inspection for the following day.

• How do I book an inspection?

  • Please call 604-294-7130 between 8:30 am and 3:00 pm to book an inspection for the following day. Make sure you have the address and permit number ready.

Messy Yards & Sites

• My neighbour has garbage all over their lot. What can I do?

  • The house might be breaking the "Unsightly Premises" bylaw. Contact the Burnaby Licence Department at 604-294-7320.

Complaints

• Where do I complain about construction noise?

  • Please read the Noise and Sound Abatement Brochure and contact the Engineering Department at 604-294-7460.

• How do I complain about an illegal construction?

  • Please call our Bylaw Services at 604-294-7150.

• How can I complain about an illegal suite?

  • You'll need to give us a written complaint, and to confirm you live in the neighbourhood by giving us your name and address (we keep both confidential).

Signs

• Do I need a permit to install a sign?

  • Yes.  The size and location of the sign may be limited by our Sign Bylaw. If the sign is illuminated you'll also need an electrical permit. Please visit our Signs page or call 604-294-7524 for more information.

My Property

• How big of a house can I build on my property?

  • The size of the house you can build depends on the size of the lot and the zoning of the lot. For more accurate and up to date information please call us at 604-294-7130 and talk to a plan checker.

• Where is my property line?

  • Only a Surveyor can tell you this with certainty. Here is how you can do a rough estimate on your own:

    1. Look at your mortgage survey, figure out how far your house is from the property lines and measure it out,
    2. Look through the Building Department records for a survey of your property, or
    3. Find the pins at the corners of the property and tie a line between them  
• How big is my lot?

  • Type in your address to the Burnaby Map and the information for your property will show. You can also use this map to find lot dimensions.

• Where are my water sewer connections?

  • This information can be obtained from the Engineering Department, 4th Floor, over the phone, by fax or mail.  If you want a hard copy and are not the registered owner, a fee will be required. For other utility information such as Telus or BC Hydro, please contact those agencies directly or call BC One Call at 1-800-474-6886.

Suites

• Are secondary suites legal in Burnaby?

  • No.  Secondary suites are not legal in the City of Burnaby. You are allowed an inlaw or an caregiver suite. Please check out our In-Law Suites Brochure or call 604-294-7130 for more information.

Heating

• Where can I get a heating permit?

  • The Building Department issues heating permits for dwelling units. General information about Heating Permits can be found in our brochure on Heating System Permits. If this doesn't answer your question, please call us at 604-294-7130 for more information.

• Do fireplace installation require a permit?

  • Yes.  Installation of a wood burning fireplace requires a building permit; a gas fireplace require a gas permit and are inspected by Inspectors.

• Is there a minimum temperature my house/apartment/suite should be kept at?

  • No.  The Building Code specifies that the building must be capable of being heated to minimum standards, but there is no law saying the house has to be kept at that minimum.