Subdivide a site less than 4,000 square metres

Submission requirements for “minor” subdivision proposals (including bare-land strata)

For sites less than 4,000 square metres (m²) in area, or where subdivision is unlikely to require complex legal agreements, a preliminary proposal must include the following:

1. A letter of application, which clearly states:

• the property address and legal description;
• the intended use of the proposed parcels;
• whether any existing buildings on the site will be retained; and
• the name, address, telephone and fax numbers of the person making the application.

2. Either a copy of a valid “Contract of Purchase and Sale,” if you are the prospective purchaser of the property and not the registered owner, or a letter of authorization from the property owner if you are acting on their behalf.

3. A non-refundable fee of $13,950. Cheques should be made out to the “City of Vancouver.”

4. A current title search of the properties involved in the proposal, from the Land Title Office in New Westminster. You may be asked to provide copies of any charges on title, or submit a charge summary prepared by a lawyer, if they are extensive.

5. A sketch plan, which includes the following information:

• an outline of the properties included in the subdivision;
• the dimensions of every existing and proposed parcel;
• all streets and lanes, both existing and proposed, with existing street names labeled;
• the location and dimensions in plan outline of all existing buildings which are to be retained after subdivision; and
• the location and dimensions of all off-street parking and loading areas and spaces to be retained after subdivision.

Proposals can be delivered to the Development and Building Services Centre, Ground Floor (515 West 10th Avenue), to the attention of the Subdivision Group, or mailed to:

The Approving Officer, Development Services
City of Vancouver
453 West 12th Avenue
Vancouver, B.C. V5Y 1V4

For further information, please email subdivision@vancouver.ca.

The information contained in this website is intended as an overview about the Subdivision and Strata Title process. This information should not be construed as legal documentation. It departs from the necessary legal and technical terminology used in the Vancouver Charter and applicable City by-laws. Any contradiction, dispute, or difference between the contents of this website and applicable City by-laws, policies or guidelines will be resolved by reference to the by-laws or other official documents.