Permits & Applications

For approval to have all or part of a ditch outside your property enclosed. 

New! You can now apply for your Ditch Enclosure Permit online by logging into My Permits Portal.

If you need assistance with this new process or with your My Permits Portal account, please reach out to the Engineering Department. 

For permission to encroach on City right-of-way or property. 

Erosion and Sediment Control (ESC) Permit applications are made through the City’s Engineering Department and are required to be issued prior to the release of associated construction permits. ESC Permits are commonly associated with but not limited to Engineering Agreements, Building Permits and Soil Deposition/Removal Permits.

Single and two family construction sites do not require an ESC Permit but are required to follow Best Management Practices as outlined in the Sediment Control Measures for Residential Construction Sites guidelines (linked below). 

For more information, please contact Engineering Development Services.

To safeguard the public and City assets, the Engineering department will review all aspects of a hoarding and shoring proposal. Please contact us with questions or to book an inspection. 

For permission to temporarily use water from a City fire hydrant. 

For those needing an exemption to watering time restrictions. You can apply for this permit if you are caring for a new lawn (sod, turf or seed) or treating your lawn for European chafer beetles with the use of nematodes. 

For any project work in or abutting a street, boulevard, alley, sidewalk, park, terrace, or other property controlled or owned by the City (including right-of-ways). 

This work may include, but is not limited to geotechnical or environmental investigations, installations, repairs, maintenance and investigation of a test pit, monitoring well, borehole, vacuum-hole, minor excavation or any other non-intrusive work on City property.

A complete application should include

• Application form: all sections in the application form are filled out and is signed & dated 
• Cover page: includes detailed contact information, project scope, proposed work dates
• Design drawing of proposed work: includes location address or intersection. Plan view scale at 1:250 for utility congested areas. 
• Pavement restoration plan for small excavations following the City of Burnaby Pavement Restoration Policy. 
• Certificate of insurance: includes City of Burnaby as co-insured and has policy expiry date. Use the City of Burnaby prefilled Certificate of Insurance standards form for basic or sensitive utilities. 
• Traffic control permit: includes permit # (if applicable)

Applies to project related work subject to Section 15(1) of the Noise or Sound Abatement Bylaw. Under this bylaw, construction noise or construction-related activities are permitted:

• Monday to Friday between 7 am to 8 pm
• Saturday between 9 am to 8 pm

Where it is impossible or impracticable to comply with Section 15(1) of the Noise or Sound Abatement Bylaw, a Noise Variance request may be considered. 

Noise Variances are not provided for parties, gatherings or concerts.

A complete application should include:

• Online application form: all sections in the application form are accurately filled out with details pertaining to the rationale of the variance request, equipment, anticipated decibel levels and noise mitigation measures.
• Draft notice to be distributed to the businesses/residents in the neighborhood adjacent to the proposed work area. Notices are required to be distributed minimum 72 hours before commencement of the work.
• Map outlining where the notices will be distributed (e.g. 1 city block circumference around the proposed work area).
• Associated Traffic Control Permit # (if applicable) – include in additional comments.
• Project name (if applicable) – include in additional comments.

Noise Variance requests require 7 full business days to review once all pertinent information is received. 

Vehicles exceeding 20 metres in length, or 2.6 metres in width, require an oversize load permit. 

If you have an Easement or Right Of Way on your property and the utilities related to the Right of Way have been removed, you can apply to have the restrictions formally released. Contact us for information on how to apply. 

For buildings with newly designed structures that require existing service connections to be adjusted. 

New! You can now apply for your Service Connection Adjustment Application online by logging into My Permits Portal.

If you need assistance with this new process or with your My Permits Portal account, please reach out to the Engineering Department. 

Additional Information:

Older/original homes were serviced by connections to City sewers that were appropriate for that time. Many new homes are being designed with basements in mind, which results in the need for deeper foundations. Service connections may need to be adjusted either by increasing their depth, or their location.

Before a building design is completed/approved, the designer/owner/builder should find out if the existing service connection(s) and location of connection(s) meets the newly designed structure. 

For a property to be connected to a sewer. This is a bylaw requirement. Contact us for information and how to apply.

For soil to be imported from an outside location and placed on a site within Burnaby.

For soil to be removed from a location within Burnaby. 

For doing work on City-owned roads. Use this application if you are an owner or contractor and are going to perform civil construction, such as installing concrete assets like a sidewalk / connector walk or curb and gutters.