Complex Projects

• While planning your project, please review the submission checklist below to assist you in determining what documents will be needed when you apply for your permit;
• Once you have your completed application form and supporting documents as identified in the submission checklist, please come to City Hall to apply for your permit with your application fees, as outlined in the Fees & Charges Bylaw, Schedule G; 
• After your application has been submitted, you may review the progress of your application through the Building Permit Status webpage; 
• During the review of your application, our team members may contact you to request additional information, seek clarification or identify required changes; 
• If additional information is requested or required changes have been identified, our team will work to review the completed re-submissions in a timely manner; 
• Once it has been identified that your application complies with the City’s bylaws and associated regulations, our team will be able to issue your permit. Please note construction may not commence until a permit has been issued; 
• Book your Building Inspection online prior to completing each stage of work to avoid needing to uncover completed works for review by the Inspection team.

• Submission Checklist - Complex Building New and Addition
• Submission Checklist - Supporting Structures

Apply for Building Permits Online

Related Forms

• Letter of Authorization (Building Permits)
• Identification of Contaminated Sites Form

Previously, a formal building code rationalization equating an equal or better level of protection and performance was called an “Equivalency.” Since the introduction of the BC Building Code 2012, edition, it is now labeled an “Alternative Solution.”

The BC Building Code sets out technical provisions that regulate the design and construction of buildings or building components through the use of legal prescriptive language that dictate a minimum requirement/standard. An alternative method of compliance can be achieved by demonstrating that an equivalent (or higher) level of protections and/or performance can be designed and constructed with respect to satisfying the minimum prescriptive building code requirement. 

This Alternative Solution Proposal must identify the applicable objectives, functional statements, and intent statements, including providing a brief project description and a summary of all relevant building code deviations. These objections and statements must be analyzed and evaluated in detail to justify how acceptance of the Alternative Solution Proposal is validated. A summary of the mitigating features must be stated to establish what design features are being proposed beyond the minimum building code requirement(s).

Please incorporate the entire proposal with the attached City of Abbotsford Alternative Solution Proposal form.  Submit the completed form along with payment ($520 per code deviation) to:

Building Permits & Licences Division
City of Abbotsford
32315 South Fraser Way
Abbotsford, BC  V2T 1W7

These proposals must be submitted with each building permit application, and must be accepted prior to the issuance of any building permit; otherwise the design will require to be altered to a code conforming “fall-back” solution.

• One qualified professional coordinates the code review and project team
• A clear point of contact is established between the City and the project team
• Complete applications may move through a more streamlined permit review
• Eligible projects may qualify for staged permitting

Step 1. Submit Permit Application

Submit your building permit application online, including all required Certified Professional forms and supporting documents as outlined in the Certified Professional Program Application Package (Appendix A). Incomplete applications may be returned for revisions.

Step 2. Intake Meeting

After submitting the building permit application, email building-info@abbotsford.ca to schedule an intake meeting with City staff.

Step 3. Application Review

Building Permit Administration will review the application for completeness. Once all required documents have been received, the application will be accepted and assigned to a Plan Reviewer.

Step 4. Plan Review

The assigned Plan Reviewer verifies that all required Certified Professional documentation and supporting materials have been submitted. If additional information is required, the Plan Reviewer will contact the Certified Professional.

Step 5. Building Permit Issuance

Once all applicable requirements have been satisfied and approvals are in place, the building permit will be issued.

CP Program Manual