Building grades for sidewalk and street elevation

Official building grades are required for any of the following situations:

1. A development permit (DP) application for a property in these zoning districts:
   • BCPED
   • C
   • CD-1
   • CWD
   • DD
   • DEOD
   • FC-1
   • FCCDD
   • FM-1
   • FSD
   • HA
   • M&I
   • RT (Except RT-7 and RT-9)
2. Any development permit application that has:
   • Multiple dwellings (except R1-1 zoning district)
   • Underground or covered parking
   • A building face within six metres from a street or lane boundary of a site
3. A dedicated but unopened street or lane next to the site
4. Rezoning applications
   • Information icon Building grades are required before rezoning applications to CD-1 zoning district.

Building grades for all properties must be approved or designed by Engineering Services.

Online

Register for an account and submit your application online.

Apply online

In person

Apply in-person at Client Services (see contact on this page) with:

1. Street address
2. Legal description, which can be found by logging into your tax and utility account
3. Your name and contact information
4. Completed building grades application form PDF file (108 KB)
5. Payment of the review fee

Next steps

We'll do an initial review of your application and let you know who needs to design your building grades: either you, us, or both.

For buildings requiring the services of an architect, the building grade design is required to be completed and certified by a professional engineer or architect registered in BC. For other buildings, the building grade can be prepared by the building's designer.

If you need to provide a building grade design, provide a copy of:

• Site survey plan and files, per our Building Grades Survey Standards
• Building grade design plan and files, per our Building Grades Design Guidelines

Once we receive your building grade survey and design, we'll review the files and contact you if any revisions are required. Once the survey and design are acceptable, we'll send you the accepted copy.

Building grade survey standards PDF file (140 KB)

• Appendix A - Example survey plan PDF file (107 KB)
• Appendix B - CADD standards for contractors PDF file (659 KB)
• Appendix C - Survey codes list PDF file (116 KB)

Building grade design guidelines PDF file (130 KB)

• Appendix A - Example design plan PDF file (46 KB)
• Appendix B - Example design CADD plan PDF file (354 KB)
• Appendix C - Supplementary information form PDF file (216 KB)

In most cases, City building grade designs are required where:

• Adjacent roads do not have existing curbs
• Adjacent roads are planned for upcoming reconstruction or capital improvements that could change the road grades
• Adjacent roads are in poor condition, exhibit signs of settlement or drainage issues
• The site is in a peat soil area

If your application needs a City building grade design, you need to pay the building grade design fee.

The times below are based on typical applications.

The amount of time it takes to issue a building grade depends on the outcome of the initial review. Some applications take longer because they need more complex designs, consultation, or other coordination efforts.

Alert icon Property length is measured along the street, lane, easement, right-of-way, or a combination of these.

The review fee covers the costs to:

• Do an initial review of the application
• Do a detailed review of the your building grade survey and design
• Accept the final building grade plan

The design fee covers the additional costs for survey and design work when we will be completing designs.

Alert icon If you cancel your building grade permit, a refund will not be issued or an administration fee may apply depending on the work already undertaken on the application. 

Alert icon Building grades are valid for up to 5 years after the issued date. After 5 years, building grades must be revalidated by us and will incur additional review fees.