Province Starts Applying Building Act

The Province of British Columbia has started to bring sections of the Building Act into force. However, these sections will not result in any immediate changes for construction industry stakeholders. 


Among other administrative and legislative matters, the sections bring into force: 
 

• The definitions in the Act;
• The Minister’s authority to set building regulations;
• Local authorities’ powers to continue to administer and enforce provincial building regulations;
• The Minister’s authority to enter into an administrative agreement with an external organization to administer the qualification requirements for building officials; and,
• The continuation of the Building Code Appeal Board under the Act.

Other sections of the Building Act will be brought into force in phases, the timeline for which is still being determined. The Province anticipates the next sections to be brought into force will include sections 5 and 7:

• Section 5 will place restrictions on local government authority to set building requirements, and will be phased in over a two-year transition period; and
• Section 7 will allow local governments to apply for a variation from provincial building requirements if they have a compelling reason for their application. (Under the Act, a variation is a building requirement that differs from or exceeds the requirements in the BC Building Code or in another provincial building regulation.)

The Province anticipates other sections of the Act—including the sections that set qualification requirements for building officials—will be brought into force in 2016.

The Ministry of Natural Gas Development and for Housing’s Building and Safety Standards Branch will notify stakeholders by email whenever a primary change under the Building Act comes into effect. For more information about the Act, the sections now in force, and new sections of the Building Act Guide, please see the Building Act website. 

If you have questions about the Building Act or its implementation, please contact the Building and Safety Standards Branch.