Apply for permit fee assistance for your cultural space construction and renovation permits

Permit fee assistance for cultural spaces

If you’re renovating, constructing, or adapting the use of a non-profit cultural space, you could be eligible for a grant to help pay for development- or building-permit fees.

The Permit Fee Assistance Program is now available as a Critical Assistance Capital Grant in the Cultural Spaces Grant program.

Funding will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis for approved projects, until the annual budget is spent.

Our goal is to help expand and enhance access to safe and legal arts and cultural spaces in Vancouver.

Current status: Open until the 2024 budget is fully allocated.

How to apply

Visit the Development and Building Services Centre to:
- Learn what permits you'll need for your project
- Get checklists for what documents to submit with your permit applications
Determine your eligibility by contacting the Cultural Spaces and Infrastructure Team at cultural.spaces@vancouver.ca or by contacting the grants planners directly:
- Diane Blunt diane.blunt@vancouver.ca or 604-829-9307
- Minna Schendlinger minna.schendlinger@vancouver.ca or 604-873-7211
If your organization is eligible, we'll invite you to submit a Critical Assistance Capital Grant application for the total of your permit fees for your project, that are not already supported by a Cultural Infrastructure Grant, up to a maximum of $25,000, subject to available funds.
Critical Assistance Capital Grants are processed as they are received. Contact the planners directly for information on timelines.

Eligibility

To be eligible for assistance, you need to meet all of the following criteria:

You are a Vancouver-based non-profit organization with an arts and culture mandate.
You own your space or have a secure rental tenancy.
You are renovating, constructing, or adapting the use of your cultural space and will be applying for a building/development permit application
- In-progress projects may be eligible. Contact the planners directly for more information.
Any permit fees for your project are not already covered by another City of Vancouver grant.

Learn more

Review the Cultural Spaces Capital Grants information guide (518 KB)

Background information
On July 8, 2015, Vancouver City Council approved the Permit Fee Assistance Grants as part of the Cultural Infrastructure Grant Program.
- Read the report "2015 Cultural Infrastructure Grant Allocations" (PDF, 550 KB)
The grants were developed in response to the Live Performance Venue and Artist Studio Regulatory Reviews, which Council initiated to identify regulatory challenges for cultural facilities. One of the issues was around the expenses associated with running a cultural facility, including the cost of permit fees.

On April 17, 2018, Council approved a change to the Small Cultural Spaces Grant, including integrating Permit Fee Assistance Grants and Critical Assistance Grants into the overarching stream “Small Cultural Space Grants” (now the “Small Grants for Cultural Spaces” program.)
- Read the report “2018 Cultural Grant Allocations” (488 KB)
The integration allows for more flexibility for staff to direct time-sensitive support to organizations that are building capacity around space acquisition and development, already operating space and need access to emergency funds, or both.

Contact us about Permit Fee Assistance

Cultural Spaces and Infrastructure Team
cultural.spaces@vancouver.ca