Organize an event on a street, sidewalk, or plaza

Steps to getting a special event permit

Information icon Before you begin:

• Read and review our special event guide
• If your event will be contained entirely within a park, don't follow the steps below. Review the steps to holding an event in a park
• If you event includes a street, sidewalk, or plaza PLUS a park. You only need to apply once. Please follow the steps below.  (Alert icon Both the City and the Park Board application fees will still apply.)
• Review the City's special event policy PDF file (110 KB)

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  Step 1: Determine the type of event and where and when it will occur 

  Alert icon Do not advertise or promote your event until you get preliminary approval from the Special Event Office.

  A. Determine the type of event you will be having

  • Will it be large or small?
  • Are you having a block party?
  • Will you be serving alcohol or food?
  • Will you be selling anything?
  • Is your event a charitable or non-profit event?
  • Will your event be loud?
  • Will it be across multiple days?
  • Is it across multiple sites or routes (like a parade or run)?
  • Is it on False Creek or navigable waterways?
  • Will it have fireworks?

  B. Determine where your event will be located

  • Street, sidewalk, or other public property
  • City property
  • A Vancouver park - The Vancouver Park Board has its own set of guidelines and fees. If your event includes a park, make sure you review the steps to holding an event in a park
  • Private property but has a public impact
  • Multi-site or route events (like parades or runs)
  • Navigable waterways - Navigable waterways are any waterways on which motorized and non-motorized watercraft can operate. This generally refers to salt water areas including False Creek, English Bay, and the Vancouver Harbour.
  • Vancouver Public Library - The plazas outside the main branch of the Vancouver Public library External website, opens in new tab can be used for events, rallies, and public demonstrations.
  • Vancouver Art Gallery - The Georgia Street Plaza and the Robson Street Plaza are available for rallies and public demonstrations. Contact the venue rental coordinator at 604-662-4714 for more information about events in and around the Vancouver Art Gallery External website, opens in new tab. Note If you are organizing an event outside the Vancouver Art Gallery, such as the plaza on the Georgia St side or Robson St side, applications should be made to us.
  • Port of Vancouver (Vancouver Fraser Port Authority) - Vancouver Fraser Port Authority has jurisdiction over the Port of Vancouver. Contact the Operations Centre External website, opens in new tab. Their responsibilities include marine patrols, ship inspections, event planning, permitting of dangerous goods, and the provision of navigational and safety advice.

  C. Determine if your event will be requiring waste and recycling service and equipment or bike racks, water fountains, and water wagons for rent

  Make your event more sustainable with our Green Events Planning Guide. You are responsible for leaving the event area clean and litter-free. Tell us how you will manage waste at your event. Will you hire the City, a business, or do it yourself? Learn more about greening your event and fill out a green event form

  Alert icon If you do not leave the area clean and litter-free, you will be charged for City services to clean the area.

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  Step 2: Review handbook for special event permits

  Note Before you apply, review the handbook.

  Special Event Handbook PDF file (4 MB)

  What you will find in the handbook

  • Information on how to apply
  • Approval timelines
  • Potential costs
  • Rules or restrictions (Dates or types of activities)
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  Step 3 Review what resources are available to help create your event

  If you are planning an event in Vancouver, you may qualify for grants or subsidies to off-set the costs of running an event. The following grants and subsidies are currently available:

  • Arts, culture and community arts grants
    We award over $11 million to non-profit arts, cultural organizations, and artists through a variety of arts, culture, and community arts grants.

  • Promoting your arts, culture, and community activity
    We offer multiple ways of promoting your arts, culture, and community activities.

  • Cost reductions for free public events
    Certain public events, particularly events with unrestricted free public access and are non-commercial in nature, may qualify to have a portion of City operational service costs shared with us as part of our FestShare program.  These may include costs related to sanitation, traffic control, and public safety.  

    A maximum of 75% of certain costs, up to $75,000, may be available to qualified events. Once your application is received, we will advise you if the event qualifies for FestShare.
     

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  Step 4: Gather information and documents required to apply

  A. Determine if you need permits

  Food, alcohol, or cannabis

  If you want to sell or serve:

  • Food at your event, you will be required to get a temporary food permit from Vancouver Coastal Health External website, opens in new tab.
  • Alcohol or cannabis at your event, you will be required to have a permit from the BC Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch External website, opens in new tab 

  Alert icon   Vancouver Coastal Health has requirements for washrooms, water service and garbage disposal related to operating a temporary food booth or alcohol service location.

  Building and development permits

  Building permits are required for a variety of structures; examples include:

  • Bleachers (grandstands) higher than 2m (6 feet)
  • Gantries higher than 2m and/or over a roadway
  • Stages higher than 1.2m (4 feet) or larger than 40m² (430 f²) 
  • Tents larger than 60m2 (645 ft²) or closer than 3m (9’-10”) apart, totalling more than 60m² (645 ft²) in area

  Development permit may be required for large, complex events or events of a longer duration.

  Fireworks (pyrotechnics)

  Halloween fireworks require a permit to possess or discharge, and can only be discharged on private property. The fireworks permit is available only in late October and is issued by Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services.

  Display fireworks (public fireworks) and pyrotechnic special effects (sporting or other public events) are regulated by the federal government and must be:

  • Approved by Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services before the event
  • Installed and discharged by a pyrotechnic special effects technician certified by Natural Resources Canada. Your pyrotechnic special effects technician or special effects company can help you with this process

  Marine event

  All organized activities on the water require a marine event permit from the Port of Vancouver. Contact the Operations Centre External website, opens in new tab. There is no charge for a marine event permit.

  B. Determine if you need insurance

  The minimum insurance requirements for events or activities on City and Park Board property or for use of any City or Park Board facilities is a minimum coverage limit of $2,000,000 Commercial General Liability insurance against third party claims for bodily injury, death, property, and loss of use.

  C. Develop plans

  If your event will be large, you may need a:

  • Traffic management plan
  • Transportation plan
  • Neighbourhood impact plan
  • Safety plan

  Traffic management plan (TMP)

  Any special event that is on city streets needs to meet traffic control standards. These standards are:

  • Set by the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and the BC Motor Vehicle Act External website, opens in new tab
  • Monitored by us
  • Enforced by WorkSafe BC

  We review traffic control plans and traffic management plans. WorkSafeBC may require additional traffic control documentation for construction or special events.

  Find out more about traffic management plans

  Transportation plan

  Transportation plans are often added into a traffic management plan as an appendix but can be a stand-alone document if your event does not have a transportation management plan (TMP).

  You will need to describe:

  • Your plans for moving people to and from your event.
  • Any extra pressure you anticipate on the transportation system (Translink, SkyTrain, roadways, etc.), and how you plan to handle it

  Neighbourhood impact plan

  Neighbourhood impact plans describe the steps you must take to minimize the impact on the area around your event.

  You will need to describe the steps you have taken to minimize the impact on the neighbourhood surrounding your event. One of those steps must be to notify residents and/or merchants affected by your event.

  Safety plan

  Safety plans describe your:

  • Risk assessment process
  • Mitigation strategies in planning and your strategy
  • Contacts
  • Steps to respond to isolated incidents (for example, lost child or injured attendee) and large emergencies (for example, event stop or evacuation)

  The plan should include:

  • On the first page, a key event organizer contact list
  • Your steps in communication internally and externally (as needed) as you handle an incident or emergencies at your event

  Information icon City staff may require more information depending upon the complexity of the event and impact to regional/civic emergency services. You are responsible for providing information to the satisfaction of City staff.

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  Step 5: Review fees and deposits

  A. Review application fees

  If you have an event on city streets, sidewalks, public property, you must have permits for the events and pay a non-refundable application fee.

  Application type	Fee
  Events	$100
  Park events	$30

  Alert icon Tax does not apply to application fees.

  Alert icon/span> If streets, sidewalks, or plazas PLUS a park is in your event plan, both application fees will be applied

  B. Review if you need to pay a deposit

  You will be required to provide a deposit if your event requires:

  • Temporary parking
  • Police assistance [Review VPD fees PDF file (272 KB)]
  • Other Engineering services

  Alert icon   This deposit must be provided at least 4 weeks before the event.

  Most costs associated with your event will be charged to your deposit. However, other permits may be required and services needed (like ambulance and transit). These fees are payable to each individual organization or branch.

  We will work with internal service providers to provide an estimate of expected or known costs. 

  Charges may exceed the estimate if:

  • Documents used for estimating are submitted late
  • Event plans are changed after initial estimates are provided
  • An event runs late
  • Equipment is lost or stolen
  • There are safety concerns that require additional equipment or personnel

  Information icon  Organizers of unapproved events or of events that exceed the permit conditions will be billed for any City costs (like police and engineering) incurred as a result.

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  Step 6: Apply for a permit and permit reviewed by staff

  A. Gather documents and submit application

  1. Register for an online account (if you don't have an account)
  2. Submit your application
  3. Pay fees

  Review online tutorials and apply for a permit

  Information icon  City staff will contact you within one week to discuss you application.

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