Engineering Permits

Important service changes

Saanich’s engineering services that have historically been available at the Municipal Hall are now available from a new location at 3500 Blanshard Street.

Permits and land development document requests, including payment services, that were previously provided at Municipal Hall are now available at 3500 Blanshard.

Types of permits and requests include:

  • Construction and road allowance permits
  • Servicing requirements for developments
  • Transportation-related inquiries
  • Underground servicing

In order to fulfill requests quickly, Saanich staff recommend that requests be submitted by email, but in-person services are still available. Payments can be made upon pick up of permits at the new location.

PLEASE NOTE: WE HIGHLY ENCOURAGE ALL PERMITS SHOWN BELOW TO BE SENT VIA EMAIL TO: engineering@saanich.ca

Below are some of the more frequently used permits:

Borehole permits

A borehole is a deep narrow hole made in the ground.  Drilling a borehole is typically used to find or extract water samples (or other liquids), or to obtain soil samples through the various layers for testing purposes.

Fee:  $50 base fee, plus $200 per borehole, plus $25 per day of work (calculation shown on application form).  
Notice period:  Five (5) working days to process this permit, for review and approval. 
Borehole Permit Application [PDF - 99 KB]

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Boulevard permits

A boulevard is the land from your property line to the curb of the roadway, or where there is no curb, to the edge of the shoulder; this may or may not include a sidewalk or multi-use pathway.  When purchasing a property in Saanich, the property owner agrees to maintain this area, however, a permit is required to landscape or alter the boulevard.   If you are unsure where your property line ends and the boulevard begins, please go to SaanichMap.  Please note: You may only apply for a boulevard permit for the boulevard in front of your own property. 

The District has a Boulevard Regulation Bylaw [PDF - 292 KB] which oversees the maintenance and boulevard permitting processes.  For more planting tips, click here to go to our Boulevards information page.

Fee:  None; however, a fine can be levied if works on a boulevard proceed without a valid boulevard permit.
Notice period: Ten (10) working days to process this permit, for review and approval. Boulevard Permit Application [PDF - 376 KB]

Landscaping plants for boulevards

Any plants for landscaping must come from the Approved List, or with approval from Saanich.  If you’d like to plant a tree on the boulevard, please contact the Saanich Parks Department at 250-475-5522.

Boulevard trees

For removal of a tree or to request a new tree please contact the Saanich Parks Department at 250-475-5522.

Boulevard permits will not be approved for:

  • Fences
  • Individual rocks set on the boulevard
  • Gravel placed on the boulevard
  • Parking areas
  • Sheds
  • Retaining walls
  • Hedges on the boulevard

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Change property address

A homeowner is able to request that the address of their home is changed, as long as reasonable grounds are provided and proposed numbering makes sense to the houses in the surrounding area. 
An Example of this would be when the address is 1234 Front St, however the driveway access is through Side St and all deliveries are through Side St. and it causes confusion in how to access the property  In this case, the homeowner may request that the address be changed to 5678 Side St.

Fee:  $105
Notice period:  Twenty (20) working days minimum to process this permit, for review and approval. 
Change Property Civic Address Application [PDF - 245 KB]

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Fire hydrant permit

Do you operate a construction firm and need a supply of water to keep the dust down in the neighbourhood where you’re working? A permit to access water from the fire hydrant allows you to access bulk water for up to 2 (two) days. 

Fee:  $89.25 per day
Notice period: 24 hours to process this permit, for review and approval.
Fire Hydrant Permit Application [PDF - 154 KB]

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Permit to occupy the road allowance

A Road Occupancy Permit is required to place a container or object on the road or boulevard, also referred to as ‘occupy a portion of the road allowance’ in front of your home for a specific period of time.  Examples of this would be 

  • Renovating your kitchen and need to place a large waste container on the road allowance
  • Moving and need to park a U-pack storage unit on the boulevard
  • A commercial window washer using a man lift on the sidewalk, boulevard or road allowance

Please provide a sketch or diagram showing the object that will be occupying the road allowance, relative to the address, pedestrian traffic or street traffic and indicate the purpose.  Also, note that if your occupation of the road will obstruct pedestrian or street traffic in any way, you will need to provide a Traffic Management Plan (TMP) including signage; indicate signage on sketch for clarification.  At a minimum, this must include:

  • detailed diagrams indicating the exact locations and areas of construction/work for occupancy;
  • dimensions must be indicated on the diagrams of these areas (on the road or boulevard);
  • advance notice construction signage must be indicated on the diagram as well as other traffic control devices, such as cones or barricades used to cordon off these areas of work.

A Certificate of Liability insurance with 5 million liability and the District of Saanich named as Additional Insured is required. 

Fee:  $50 base fee plus $10 per day per 20 square metres (calculation shown on application form).
Notice period:  Five (5) working days to process this permit, for review and approval by Public Works Inspector. 

Application for Permit to Occupy a Road Allowance  [PDF - 101 KB]

Do I need liability insurance?

Yes.  Saanich requires $5,000,000 third party liability insurance coverage. 
Please have your insurance company fill out a Certificate of Insurance form [PDF - 134 KB].

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Permit to construct works on the public road allowance or municipal right of way

A Permit To Construct Works on A Public Road Allowance or Municipal Right of Way is required to construct anything on the public road way or within municipal rights-of-way on private property.  Examples of this would be: 

  • Sidewalks, curbs, and gutters
  • Water, sewer, or drain infrastructure alterations
  • New telephone and hydro poles on the road allowance
  • Third party utility installations

For Engineering staff to properly review these applications, they will always need to see the following submitted with the application:

  • dimensioned diagrams indicating the exact locations and areas of construction/work for occupancy and any bylaw protected trees affected by the works;
  • advance notice construction signage must be indicated on the diagram as well as other traffic control devices, such as cones or barricades used to cordon off these areas of work;
  • a traffic management plan (TMP) for lane closures or single alternating traffic on collector or major municipal roads; and
  • proof of Commercial General Liability Insurance with a minimum limit of $5,000,000 per occurrence (see below).

Any works within the road allowance must provide traffic control in accordance with Saanich Hours of Work on District Roadways Operating Procedure [PDF - 2 MB] and the most recent edition of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure’s Traffic Management Manual for Work on Roadways. All work must adhere to WorksafeBC requirements.

Fee:  $50 base fee plus $25 per day of work or $500 per month.
Notice period:  Five (5) working days to process this permit, for review and approval.

Fillable RAW Application [PDF - 1 MB]

Do I need liability insurance?

Yes.  Saanich requires $5,000,000 third party liability insurance coverage. 
Please have your insurance company fill out a Certificate of Insurance form [PDF - 134 KB].

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Oversized vehicle permit

An Oversized Vehicle Permit is required for all loads exceeding the following dimensions:

Overall Length – 31.00m

Overall Width – 3.80m

Overall Height – 4.30m

Permits are required for any load exceeding the weight guidelines outlined by the Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement (CVSE) found at chapter-3.pdf (gov.bc.ca)

Requirements

  • Completed CVSE 1052  [PDF - 571 KB] available from The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
  • A Route Map
    • Certify that adequate clearances and protection of overhead and underground infrastructure exists to be submitted by a Professional Engineer registered in the Province of BC. 
    • Certify that there is adequate clearance for trees on the route. 
    • Identify all infrastructure that requires relocation or any tree removals or trimming.  If needed, a certified arborist must be obtained to develop a tree trimming plan.  
      • Saanich will provide an estimate for this work and payment must be received in full before issuing the permit. 

Detailed move timeline

  • Scheduled or Anticipated Move Date
  • Outlining the period in which any infrastructure such as streetlights and traffic poles need to be removed. Saanich Public Works stand-by rates will apply beyond the initial hours outlined.  

Detailed traffic management plan

  • Required for each move as well as providing any required traffic control and flag persons. Lane closures must be completed in accordance with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) Manual for Work on Roadways. 

Fee:  $50
Notice period:  Up to ten (10) working days may be required to process this permit for review and approval.  If infrastructure relocation or tree work is required, 15 working days notice is required. 
Oversize Vehicle Permit Application [PDF - 109 KB] 

Do I need liability insurance?

Yes.  Saanich requires $5,000,000 third party liability insurance coverage.  Please have your insurance company fill out a Certificate of Insurance form [PDF - 134 KB].

 

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Deposit and Removal of Soil Bylaw

This District of Saanich adopted the Deposit and Removal of Soil Bylaw on October 24, 2022. The new bylaw consolidated the Deposit of Fill Bylaw and Soil Removal Bylaw into one comprehensive, modernized bylaw. Key points of the new bylaw include:

  • All soil activities, regardless of whether they require a permit or not, must adhere to performance standards as set out in Schedule A.
  • Soil placement, relocation, and removal volumes that can take place without a permit are proportional to lot area, allowing 1.5m3/100m2 to be placed, removed, and relocated annually.
  • Prohibition of the placement of non-soil materials, including construction waste, on any lot not authorized to accept such waste (Hartland Landfill), unless in accordance with section 36(2) and 36(3) of the ALR Use Regulation (Section 4).
  • Exemptions where another municipal permit includes the soil activities or a provincial authority has granted permission and does not require municipal approval (Section 7).
  • New fees, with certain exemptions (Schedule B), to include:
    • $500.00 permit application fee,
    • $1.00/m3 permit fee,
    • the larger of $1,000.00 or 10% of the estimated cost of the works for a refundable deposit.

The new bylaw can be viewed here [PDF - 172 KB]

Deposit and Removal of Soil Permit application [PDF - 99 KB] requirements are outlined in Section 8 and must include:

  • drawings signed and sealed by a qualified professional,
  • a signed and sealed estimate prepared by the qualified professional,
  • a title search with copies of all registered covenants, statutory rights of way and easements,
  • any relevant reports or memos
  • permit application fee

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