Information for municipalities and approving authorities
Last updated on January 22, 2026
When an applicant with a commercial or industrial use site applies for zoning, subdivision, or development and building permits, they may need to submit a Site Disclosure Statement (SDS) to the municipality and/or approving officer.
The Environmental Management Act (EMA) and Contaminated Sites Regulation (CSR) assign administrative duties to municipalities and approving officers in relation to Site Disclosure Statements.
Within 15 days of receiving a Site Disclosure Statement, municipalities or approving officers must review it to determine if it is required.
Is it required?
Applicants must submit a Site Disclosure Statement if:
- Their site has, or has had, commercial or industrial uses listed in Schedule 2,
- They have applied for a zoning or subdivision approval, or for a building or development permit for an activity that causes soil disturbance, and
- No exemptions apply
Keeping copies for municipal records (Optional)
Legislation does not require you to keep a copy of an SDS. It is entirely optional if you wish to do so.
If you want to keep a copy of an SDS for municipal records, ask the client to complete the online PDF version and submit it to you directly.
To confirm for your records that a site has not had a Schedule 2 use, you can ask the applicant to submit a Declaration of No Schedule 2 Uses form to you by email.
Does an exemption apply?
To request an exemption, applicants must provide:
- A Site Disclosure Statement stating the exemption type
- Documentation that supports the use of an exemption
If an exemption applies:
- There are no restrictions on the relevant applications
- Applicants do not need to complete the full SDS
Approving authorities are responsible for assessing exemptions. The ministry does not approve them.
- Review the list of exemptions in Division 3 of the Contaminated Sites Regulation
- Review exemption instructions for applicants
Find out what to do if an exemption falls under one of these sections:
Exemption under CSR Section 4(1) – Certification issued
What to do:
1. Ask the applicant for a copy of the certification
2. Email SiteID@gov.bc.ca to confirm it hasn’t been rescinded
3. Confirm document is valid and relevant to proposed land use
4. Confirm that the applicant has made enquiries to find out whether further contamination has happened at the site
Exemption under CSR Section 4.2(2)(c.2) – Surface-only construction
What to do:
- Review the development plan to confirm it is not a large-scale slab-on-grade building or redevelopment project
- This exemption applies to upgrades or improvements to properties with active commercial or industrial uses listed in Schedule 2
- Examples include (but are not limited to) footings for a gas station canopy, installing electric vehicle charging stations on a concrete pad, or installing Quonset huts
Exemption under CSR Section 4.7 – Site Profile previously submitted
What to do:
- Email SiteID@gov.bc.ca to confirm that the site profile was submitted to the registrar and not the director
- Confirm that a Schedule 2 use has not been at the site since the date that the site profile was given to the municipality or approving officer
Is the statement complete?
Review the statement to make sure:
- It's the current version of the Site Disclosure Statement
- All sections are complete and understandable. "N/A" should be used when information isn't available for a field
- A site map of appropriate scale that shows the location and boundaries is included
- The site owner or operator is identified and has signed the statement
If the statement is not complete, return it to the applicant to revise and resubmit. 15 days is counted from the time the municipality receives the updated version.
If the municipality or approving officer disagrees with the information on the statement:
- Work with the applicant to resolve any dispute
- Contact the ministry for advice at SiteID@gov.bc.ca if a resolution can’t be reached independently
It is important not to alter the SDS without the applicant’s knowledge and consent as this is a signed legal form that includes a certification statement.
Municipalities and approving officers may charge up to $100 per Site Disclosure Statement submitted to offset their administration costs.
Once the statement is ready
- Complete the Approving authority contact information section of the statement
- Check to make sure the statement only shows active applications and not future applications
- Email the statement and site map to SiteID@gov.bc.ca
- Let the applicant know that the Site Disclosure Statement has been forwarded to the ministry
After the statement is submitted
Municipalities and approving officers can't approve applications listed on a Site Disclosure Statement that's submitted to the ministry until restrictions are removed according to local government laws.
To remove restrictions, the applicant must provide one of the following official ministry documents to the municipality or approving officer:
| Type | Reason for using | What it applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Certification document | Confirms site is not contaminated, remediation plan has been approved, or site is remediated | Applies to all applications needed for development but must meet future land use |
| Release notice | Waives restrictions for specified applications | Only applies to listed applications in the notice |
Municipalities and approving officers need to confirm that ministry documents are relevant to the proposed land use. For more information, you can:
- Search local government records for site information
- Work with applicants to get site information and address issues or concerns
- Email the ministry for advice: SiteID@gov.bc.ca
As administrators of the site identification process for the B.C. government, municipalities and approving authorities will not be held liable for relying on official ministry documents. Read more: Section 61 of Environmental Management Act.