The following is a list of readings and resources that are relevant and useful when you are working as a building official:
- Architects Institute of BC (AIBC)
- Bulletin31: Buildings Requiring the Services of an Architect
- BC Building Codes – where you can find information on the following:
- BC Building Code, BC Fire Code, BC Plumbing Code, City of Vancouver Bylaws
- Errata and revisions
- FAQ (Includes information on when codes came into effect, where to view Intent Statements,
- BC Building Codes: Letters of Assurance
- BC Housing – Tools and Portals
- BC Housing – Publications – Some of the many publications you will find on the BC Housing Site:
- Building Act (SBC 2015) Chapter 2
- Building Act General Regulation
- Building Act Guide – General Information
What Does the Act Do?
- Creates greater consistency in technical building requirements across British Columbia
- Provides reasonable flexibility for local governments to set technical building requirements to meet local needs through unrestricted matters or building variations
- Sets province-wide training and qualification requirements for building officials based on competency criteria
Where Does it Apply?
It applies in all parts of the province except the City of Vancouver and federal lands and reserves.
- Building and Plumbing Officials – What They Need to Know about the Building Act Full Section B2 of the Building Act Guide
- Building Official Classes and Information Package
- Information on the BC Codes
- Building Officials’ Association Act [SBC 1997] Chapter 16
- Building Officials Association of BC: Bylaws
- Building Officials Association of BC: Policies
- Building Permit Checklist from Langford SFD
- Building Permit Checklist – Standard from Quesnel
- Building Permit Checklist – Complex from Quesnel
- Provincial Government – Resources and contact information to support those using the BC Building Code and other provincial building regulations.
- Building and Safety Standards Branch (BSSB) Contact
- Clean BC
- Codes Canada – Frequently Asked Questions
- Community Care and Assisted Living Act [SBC 2002] CHAPTER 75
- Community Charter [SBC 2003] Chapter 26
- Energy Step Code
- Engineers and Geoscientist of BC (EGBC)
- Homeowner Protection Act
- BC Housing: Building Permits for New Homes and Building Envelope Renovations
“New homes
If you want to obtain a building permit for new home construction, the Homeowner Protection Act states that you must provide proof of being a licensed residential builder and have the home covered by home warranty insurance approval or an exemption such as an Owner Builder Authorization or Rental Exemption. Once your home warranty insurance provider has sealed that, BC Housing will give you a New Home Registration Form as proof.
Once you register and enrol your project in home warranty insurance a New Home Registration Form will be available to download. The Form will act as proof of licensing and home warranty insurance for your municipality or regional district when you apply for a building permit.
A New Home Registration Form also provides proof that the Act and Regulation exclude you or the home from licensing and/or home warranty insurance requirements. Examples of exemptions include an Owner Builder Authorization and a rental exemption.
Make sure you always bring all the relevant documentation with you.
Even in geographic areas where building permits are not required, you must be a licensed residential builder to carry out the work, have the home covered by home warranty insurance and complete a Form to enrol the project. The same exclusions as described above also apply in this case.
Building envelope renovations
In order to obtain a building permit for applicable building envelope renovations, the Act states you must prove you are a licensed building envelope renovator and have warranty insurance on the proposed renovation.
You must also get a Building Envelope Renovation Schedule from BC Housing, then have that Schedule sealed by your warranty insurance provider. The warranty provider needs to stamp the Schedule to confirm warranty insurance is in place for the proposed renovation.
Once you have completed the Schedule, bring it to your local municipality or regional district as part of your building permit application. The completed Schedule acts as official confirmation that the renovation will be conducted by a licensed building envelope renovator and the renovation has warranty insurance.
Make sure you keep the pink copy of each Building Envelope Renovation Schedule you complete for your records.”
- Letters of Assurance (LOA): BC Building Code, Division C, Part 2 – Administrative Provisions
- Local Government Act – Table of Contents
- Local Government Act: Part 1 — Purposes and Interpretation
- Local Government Act [RSBC 2015] Chapter 1 – s298 Building Regulation Bylaws
- Local Government Act: Division 2 — Immunities and Indemnities (s738, s742, s743)
- Local Government Systems in BC
- Mobile Business License Program
- Municipal Insurance Association of BC
- Safety Standards Act
- Station square investigation report
- BC Archives (royalbcmuseum.bc.ca) – Report of the Commissioner Inquiry, Station Square Development Burnaby, British Columbia See pages 102 and 103 for reasons for collapse and summary
- 1988 Station Square Collapse aka Save-on Foods Collapse aka Cave-in-Foods – Engineering and Technology in Society – Canada (bccampus.ca)
- Technical Safety BC
- UBCM – Local Government Fact Sheets: A Reference Guide to Local Government Planning & Operations
READ the following:
