Building Act Guide

The Building Act Guide provides information about the Building Act for local governments, building officials and those working in the building construction sector.

The guide is presented in sections and explains:

• What the Act is
• How stakeholders are affected
• New procedures that result from the Act

Part A Introduction

• A1 Understanding B.C.'s Building Regulatory System (PDF) 
• A2 A Guide to the Building Act: Modernizing B.C.'s Building Regulatory System (PDF)
• A3 Building Act Brochure (PDF)
• A4 Building Act PowerPoint Presentation (PPT), provides a short, introductory presentation about the Building Act and the changes it introduces to B.C.’s building regulatory system

Part B Information for local governments 

• B1 What Local Governments Need to Know about the Building Act (PDF)
• B1 Appendix Changes for Local Governments Under Section 5 of the Building Act (PDF), revised December 2020
• B2 What Building and Plumbing Officials Need to Know about the Building Act (PDF, 1.5MB), revised August 2021

Part C Procedures (how to…)

• C1 A Guide to Requesting a Local Authority Variation (PDF)
  • Application to Request a Local Authority Variation (WORD)
  • Addendum to Application to Request a Local Authority Variation (WORD)
• C2 Provincial Policy, Local Government Implementation of the BC Energy Step Code (PDF)