BC Development Environmental Approval Processes Made Easy
Private and corporate stakeholders looking to subdivide a property, construct a road, install a sewer line, fill a portion of the foreshore, remove trees, or even construct a trail are subject to environmental regulation and permitting in the province of British Columbia. There are a few basic approvals that are recommended and often required for may projects to ensure the project proponent is not prosecuted under a bylaw or an Act protecting environmental resources, wildlife, or habitat.
Here are a few general rules:
1. Anytime work is planned within 30 metres of the ocean or a river, stream, marsh, wetland, culvert outlet, and in some cases rivines, some form of consultation with Fisheries and Oceans Canada is recommended. Often proponents hire an environmental consultant to determine if a Letter of Advice or an Authorization persuant to Section 35(2) of the federal Fisheries Act is required. Some proponents approach Fisheries directly.
2. Most applications can be run through the Integrated Land Management Bureau. Typically they can examine the project free of charge and tell you what permits are required.
3. If you want to know how close to a stream you can build, you will need to perform a Riparian Areas Regulation assessment. Stream setbacks vary with stream size, slope, vegetation, and fish presence.
4. If you are planning on diverting or working in a stream, you will need to get approval under the Water Act. These approvals are referred to as Section 9 Applications and are done through the Ministry of Environment. Typically, the Environmental Stewardship Division of the Ministry of Environment do not support the culvertization of natural freshwater streams in support of land development opportunities unless there is a benifit to the community.
5. If you are building a dock, launching ramp, underwater reef, or any other marine structure then approval is required from Transport Canada - Navigable Waters Protection Program.