Building Bylaw Update Overview

The Peace River Regional District updated Building Bylaw No. 2131, 2014 following public engagement in October 2023 to February 2024.

What changes were made to the Building Bylaw?

The new bylaw follows the Municipal Insurance Association of British Columbia (MIABC) template, however, staff have worked hard to make it more accessible to the general public.

The changes include:

• Updated to be in compliance with provincial legislation and the BC Building Code;
• New processes and applications for simple, complex and temporary building permits;
• New process for final inspection and issuance of occupancy permit;
• New fee structure.
  
  

No changes were made to the Mandatory Building Permit Areas and permits are still not required for small farm buildings.

Where can I see the new bylaw?

The new bylaw is available on the PRRD's website and can be viewed here.

Why did we need to update the bylaw?

The old bylaw was adopted in 2014, and since that time several changes had been made to the Building Act and BC Building Code.

The Province of British Columbia sets the Building Act and the BC Building Code. Under the Building Act, our Building Bylaw is required to be in compliance with the both the Building Act and the BC Building Code. The current bylaw is no longer in compliance with either piece of legislation so we have to update it.

Why do we need a Building Bylaw?

All buildings in BC must be constructed to the BC Building Code, this includes renovations to existing buildings in addition to new construction.

The Building Bylaw outlines the process for how the PRRD receives and reviews applications for building permits and how and when inspections take place. The Building Bylaw also outlines the enforcement process for different situations; such as when someone begins construction without a permit.

Having a valid building permit and completing inspections ensures that your building is built to BC Building Code and can help assure future owners/occupiers that the building is safe for use.

Where does the bylaw apply?

The Mandatory Building Permit Areas have not changed!

The bylaw sets out mandatory building permit areas around the City of Fort St. John, District of Taylor, City of Dawson Creek, Village of Pouce Coupe, District of Chetwynd, Moberly Lake and Swan Lake. Within the mandatory building permit areas, you must apply for a building permit prior to any new construction or certain renovations taking place.

Properties outside of the mandatory building permit areas can still apply for a Building Permit if they choose.

Maps of the mandatory building permit areas can be found here, or you can look up your property and see if it is in the mandatory building permit area using the PRRD's Web Map.

What process was followed for the update?

• October 5, 2023: Staff presented a draft of the work plan to the Regional Board at the Committee of the Whole Meeting, for their information
• October 6, 2023: Public and stakeholder engagement begins
• November 2023: February 2024 - Staff worked on drafting the bylaw
• Staff presented the draft bylaw to the Regional Board for consideration on February 8, 2024
• February 2024: The draft bylaw was available for public and stakeholder review and comment
  • Public Open Houses were held to review engagement results and gather additional feedback on the draft bylaw on February 20, 21, 22, 2024
• March - May, 2024: Staff prepared the final version of the bylaw and sent it off for legal review
• May 30, 2024: The final bylaw was adopted by the Regional Board
• June 4, 2024: New application forms and the new bylaw available on the PRRD website