Building inspection is a service through which local governments regulate the construction of buildings. A property owner who wishes to construct a building in an area with building inspection is required to obtain, prior to construction beginning, the local government's approval to build. Approval is given in the form of a building permit, for which the property owner must apply. Permits are issued when the local government has confirmed, through its review of the submitted building plans, that the proposed structure complies with the technical standards in the BC Building Code, and the planning regulations in the applicable OCP and zoning bylaw. At various points of the construction process, inspections must be arranged by the property owner with a building Inspector from the local government. At each inspection, the Inspector confirms that the standards of the BC BuildingCode, and the relevant land use regulations, are indeed being met.

The newest area to require BP’s and inspections is Electoral Area C (South Shuswap) which began the service on March 4, 2019.

As of March 5, 2018, BPs and inspections are required in Electoral Area B (Rural Revelstoke) and Electoral Area E (Rural Sicamous). Building inspections continue to be required in Electoral Area F (North Shuswap) in the communities of Lee Creek, Scotch Creek, Celista, Magna Bay, Anglemont and St. Ives.  A map of the areas where building permits are required can be viewed here.

Any property owner who wishes to undertake construction in Areas B, E ,F (five communities), and C on March 4, 2019 will need to apply for and receive a building permit (and, in most cases, a plumbing permit too) before commencing construction. Building permits are required for most construction, demolition and excavation, including:

• Construction of a house, townhouse, commercial and industrial building
• construction of accessory buildings, including most garages and sheds
• demolition of a building
• significant alteration to or repair of an existing building (e.g. structural changes, electrical updates, construction of a second floor deck, moving of plumbing)
• changes to the use or occupancy of an existing building (e.g. from a garage to a dwelling, or from a residence to a commercial use)
• relocation of a building
• alterations that affect a venting or sewer- age system
• installation of a factory-built or manufactured building
• installation of a temporary building

Anyone who is unsure whether a project requires a BP is encouraged to contact the Building Department  (1.888.248.2773 or 250.832.8194; or buildingpermit@csrd.bc.ca).

If a construction project involves no structural changes and no relocation or installation of new plumbing fixtures, then no building permit or plumbing permit is required. In addition, certain types of structures will be exempt, including:

• one storey accessory buildings that are under 10m2 in size, are not used for habitation, and do not create a hazard
• non-structural repairs such as window replacements (same size windows), roof updates, kitchen renovations with  no movement of plumbing fixtures, finishing of basement with flooring and non-structural (not including creation of secondary suite)
• patios, decks or balconies that are less than 2 feet (0.61m) off the ground
• repairs or minor alterations to the plumbing system or fixtures that do not affect the venting or sewerage system
• landscaping retaining walls below 1.22 m in height that do not support loads created by buildings or parking areas
• construction of , utility poles and towers and public infrastructure systems (as identified in Section 1.1.1.1(2) of the BC Building Code
• un-modified CSA Z240 RV or un-modified CSA Z241 Park Model

Anyone who is unsure whether a project requires a permit is encouraged to contact the Building Department (1.888.248.2773 or 250.832.8194; or buildingpermit@csrd.bc.ca).

The CSRD may require other permits, such as a development permit, depending on the type and location of the construction project. Development permit (DP) areas are identified in the Area B, Area C, and Area F Official Community Plans (OCPs), and the draft Area E OCP (see CSRD website to view OCPs and information about DPs). DP areas are established for land with environmental significance (such as lakefront, foreshore or riparian areas) or hazardous conditions (e.g., steep slopes or flood areas). Other development permit areas are created to ensure that the character of commercial and multi-family developments are developed in accordance with the community vision as expressed in the OCP). Construction within development permit areas must follow guidelines to ensure development is safe for the use intended, that environmental areas are identified and protected and that the character is consistent with the community vision. As part of the building permit review, Building staff will confirm whether any DPs are required. A DP is required to be issued by the CSRD prior to a building permit being issued.

Anyone who is unsure whether a project requires a development permit is encouraged to contact the Building Department (1.888.248.2773 or 250.832.8194; or buildingpermit@csrd.bc.ca).

The required six (6) building inspections are:

1. Footing construction (before concrete)
2. Prebackfill
3. Under slab plumbing rough-in
4. Framing construction
5. Insulation, vapour barrier, and air barrier
6. Final Inspection

Building inspections will be available in each of the four EA areas two days per week. Building Official availability will be adjusted for inspection demand and workload. The building inspection days in EA F will remain Tuesdays and Thursdays.  The building inspection days for EA E and EA B will be Tuesday and Thursday to start and will be re-evaluated depending on number of applications.

A building inspector may request that inspections in remote locations, such as water access only or backcountry construction sites, be completed by a registered professional hired by the property owner.  If requested, the building inspectors will rely solely on the provided letters of assurance, field reviews and site photo’s that the registered professional submits as long as all aspects of the construction referenced by the those letters of assurance substantially conform to the design, plans and specifications, and the construction complies with the Building Code, Building Bylaw No. 660, CSRD bylaws and other applicable enactments respecting safety.

Anyone who is unsure whether a project is a remote location is encouraged to contact the Building Department (1.888.248.2773 or 250.832.8194; or buildingpermit@csrd.bc.ca).

The renewed BP will require three inspections.

A Building Inspector will visit a property where construction is occurring without an issued building permit. Depending on the nature of the construction underway, the Building Inspector may issue a Stop Work Order. If construction continues, the CSRD may consider placing a Notice on Title. The CSRD reserves its right to enforce the Building Bylaw No. 660 and pursue further enforcement, including seeking a court injunction if required to ensure bylaw compliance.

Yes. All facilities used for the production and distribution of cannabis are required to obtain a building permit prior to construction.

Expenditure of the funds will be in accordance with the 2014-2024 Agreement between the UBCM and CSRD, dated July 7, 2014. There are specific criteria and only eligible projects can be considered. For further information, please contact Jodi Pierce, Manager Financial Services, at 250.833.5907 or by email at jpierce@csrd.bc.ca.

It is a good idea to contact our office to notify us of the possession date of the new owner to ensure the account information is changed over correctly. You do not need to pay a portion of the bill for the billing period that you occupy the dwelling, as your lawyer or notary as part of the conveyance will cover this on your statement of adjustment.

Most invoices are paid within 30 days. For this to apply, invoices must be emailed to finance@csrd.bc.ca or mailed to PO Box 978, Salmon Arm, BC V1E 4P1. Invoices sent to any other email address, may be significantly delayed in processing.

Our Accounts Payable Department needs 10-15 business days to process an approved invoice. An approved invoice is one that displays an authorized Regional District purchase order number or contract number and is received by one of the above addresses. If there is no purchase order listed on the invoice or if further authorization is required, the process may be delayed.

Vendors who work under a contract with the CSRD are paid according to the Contract Payment Schedule, which is distributed to the contractors at the beginning of each new year, or upon the signing of a new contract. For the current year's Contractor Payment Schedule click here.

For the 2020 Contractor Payment Schedule, click here.

To increase the timeliness of your payment, please submit a direct deposit form to finance@csrd.bc.ca. 

The parcel tax for the Anglemont Water was approved in 2012. After an exhaustive public consultation process which included letters being sent to every registered owner of property within the Anglemont Water Service Area, a referendum was held in the spring of 2012 asking eligible voters if they were in favour of the CSRD taking over the Anglemont Water System and whether they were in favour of incurring debt up to $9.8 million dollars to upgrade the water system to provide steady, consistent, potable water to all 1,300 lots in the service area.

The system had been in a state of disrepair for many years and would not have been "water ready" for many of the vacant lots, as it did not have the capacity to service those properties. The result of this referendum was a resounding number of eligible voters in favor of both propositions. Therefore, the CSRD took over the water system in July of 2012. Following the takeover date, construction started on the upgrade in the fall of 2012.

The parcel tax is applied to all lots, including strata lots, within that service area regardless of whether or not there are homes on the lot to fund construction, related debt and further infrastructure upgrades. The debt is being amortized over 25 years with debt amortization being only one component of the parcel tax.

The CSRD is not a taxing authority under the Local Government Act and does not generate property tax notices, therefore we cannot provide information on mill rates as we only have data pertinent to CSRD services. For information on mill rates, contact the Surveyor of Taxes.

Before detonating any fireworks within Electoral Areas C, E, and F you require a valid Fireworks Permit. Fireworks may only be used, set off or discharged with a permit authorized by the CSRD Fire Services Coordinator.  Anyone who sets off fireworks without a permit may be fined a minimum of $200 and/or be subject to formal enforcement proceedings for each incident.

Failure to comply with the terms of the Fireworks Permit may also result in a fine and/or formal enforcement proceedings.

Download Fireworks Application

Fireworks can be set off:

• on private property, as part of a public event, and only with the knowledge and consent of the owner and/or occupant;
• as part of a public event controlled by a public body or society. Written permission from the Fire Services Coordinator is required for public functions and may be obtained by contacting the CSRD;
• anyone found not complying with this regulation may be fined $200 and/or subject to formal enforcement proceedings.

Download Fireworks Application

The Act protects personal privacy by restricting the collection, use and disclosure of personal information. Please note that personal privacy rights extend only to private individuals; not businesses, societies, corporations, etc.

When an individual makes an FOI request to the Regional District, their personal information is protected and is not made public.

Informal Requests:

When you make an informal request, the department you approach will respond to you as quickly as possible. Depending on the kind of information you are requesting, you may be able to get an answer over the phone.

FOI Requests:

The Act requires us to respond to your FOI request within 30 business days of receiving it, although we will respond sooner if possible. If your request is especially complicated, we may extend our response time by an additional 30 business days.

The Act allows us to withhold information if release would be an invasion of privacy or cause harm by one of the means listed in the Act, such as harming a law enforcement investigation or threatening anyone’s health or safety. If the Regional District withholds any information, we will tell you which section or sections of the Act were used in making this decision.

If we deny you access to any record or part of a record, you have the right to ask for a review by the British Columbia Information and Privacy Commissioner, an officer of the legislature who is independent of the government. A decision of the Commissioner is final, subject to certain limited judicial reviews.

The Act applies to all records (i.e. all recorded information) that are under the custody or control of a public body. The Act defines records as follows:

“record” includes books, documents, maps, drawings, photographs, letters, vouchers, papers and any other thing on which information is recorded or stored by graphic, electronic, mechanical or other means, but does not include a computer program or any other mechanism that produces records;

It is important to note that the Act covers access to records, and the information contained therein. It is NOT the intention of the Act that staff undertake compiled and summarized research in order to answer specific questions. Applicants are expected to conduct their own research from any records received from the Regional District.

When more than just the layers list is being displayed, use the tabs located at the bottom of the left-side panel of your map window to toggle between the results list and the layers list.

When you enter information into the Global Search bar, a list of results is populated in the left-side panel of your map window. Locate the entry for the property you are inquiring about, and click that entry. 

Your map window will zoom to the property in question. The property is highlighted (black outline) and “selected” for further action.

OCP is a Local Government Planning acronym that stands for “Official Community Plan”.

The Local Government Act defines an official community plan (OCP) as a general statement of the broad objectives and policies of the local government respecting the form and character of existing and proposed land use and servicing requirements in the area covered by the plan. It must consider anticipated housing needs, schools, service requirements, public facilities, location and requirements for commercial, industrial, agricultural and other land uses, and restrictions on lands that are environmentally sensitive or hazardous.

An OCP is a long-term strategy for land use management, development, and servicing. This document is created by the community in dialogue with locally elected commission and committee members, and is intended to serve as a statement of the objectives and policies of the local government. The goals of an OCP are implemented through its zoning bylaw.

- See more at: http://www.csrd.bc.ca/services/development-planning/official-community-p...

No the program operates within treatment timing windows developed with DFO and MOE. 

Not all aquatic plants (weeds) are the same.  The CSRD only has approval to remove the invasive species Myriophyllum Spicatum (Milfoil) or Eurasian water Milfoil.  It is important that native plants remain as they provide important habitat for fish.  The program has equipment to remove Milfoil weed beds when the density is greater than 75% Invasive.  Prior to removal each site is assessed to determine if native plant populations are present as for example the site between Sandy Pt. and Syphon Cr. typically is colonized with native species. The species distribution and density of the weed beds are continually changing as a result of environmental factors and invasive plant growth characteristics which requires annual adjustments of the treatment schedules.   One analogy for understanding the native plant community is that “Aquatic plants are the forest for the fish”. 

Farmers’ fields, large gardens, typically the closest dump site to the operations.

Call the CSRD if interested in having 60,000lbs of rotting plant biomass delivered, it does create quite an odor.

Not at this time. To conduct mosquito nuisance control in provincial parks, authorization is required from the Ministry of Environment. In a July 8, 2019 decision, the ministry denied the CSRD's application for a park use permit for mosquito control in Shuswap Lake Park and Tsutswecw Park.

View Ministry of Environment Decision

The programs are based on the principles of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), in that the most environmentally sensitive methods of control are considered first. Prevention and reduction of mosquito larval development sites are the first objective of the CSRD.

The vast majority of the CSRD mosquito control campaigns is focused on controlling mosquitoes while they are in their larval stages, (as opposed to their adult stage) for two primary reasons.  Larval control is much more efficient than adult control – it is possible to treat larval mosquitoes in very high concentrations in larval development ponds, while adult mosquitoes tend to disperse soon after emerging over a much wider area.  

When habitat monitoring determines that treatment is required,  pellets of larvicide are applied by hand or by helicopter  during  the mosquito larva 3rd or 4th instar phase of development.

For further information view the:

 Pest Management plan

Campers may be disposed of at the nearest landfill (not transfer station).  Fridges must be removed prior to disposal, and a bulky rate fee of $160/ton will be charged at the scale.

Driveway sealer can be disposed of for free at one of the hazardous waste depots located at the Golden, Revelstoke, and Salmon Arm Landfills. All locations are open Saturdays only.  

Landscape ties may be disposed of at your nearest refuse disposal facility at the garbage rate of $80/ton.  Due to the possibility of large spikes being in the ties, they cannot be placed in the wood bin; they must be disposed of as garbage.

Noxious weeds or soil contaminated with noxious weeds must be disposed of in the garbage rather than the organic waste pile, at no charge. The Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society webpage has valuable information to assist in the identification of noxious and invasive weed species. 

Books (both hard and soft cover) are not accepted in the residential recycling collection program.  The following  locations have a separate recycling option for residents looking to recycle books:

Scotch Creek Transfer Station
Skimikin Transfer Station
Falkland Transfer station
Salmon Arm Landfill
Sicamous Landfill
Malakwa Recycling Depot

The CSRD is working to get book recycling programs in place in Revelstoke and Golden.

If these items are ready for recycling, they can be taken to an Encorp electronics recycling depot. This recycling program includes items such as CD's, DVD's, floppy disks, flash drives, VHS tapes, and vinyl records. Cases for these items are included in the recycling program as well, provided that the cases are brought with the storage media items themselves.

Virtually all items that plug in are part of a return to depot program administered by the provincial government.  Please see the Provincial Take-Back Program page to select the item you wish to recycle and locate the nearest depot.

Place plastic bags in the FILM PLASTIC receptacle at your nearest recycling depot - they are not to be placed in your curbside collection container or bag.  Place flexible plastic packaging in the FLEXIBLE PLASTIC PACKAGING receptacle at your nearest recycling depot.  Do not place in your curbside collection container or bag.  Chip bags, waxed cereal liners and shrink wrap for meat and cheese are accepted for recycling as flexible plastic packaging.

ZIPLOC (or similar) brand sandwich/freezer bags, garbage bags, and recycling bags are not accepted because, under the definition of Packaging and Printed Paper, these items were not purchased at the store with items INSIDE them and therefore are not a PACKAGE.

All pesticides may be disposed of at the Golden, Revelstoke or Salmon Arm Landfill at the hazardous waste collection depot.  Pesticides with labels that contain the skull and crossbone symbol and a pesticide registration number may also be returned to Bills Bottle Depot in Salmon Arm.  

That answer comes from Recycle BC, the provincial stewardship agency responsible for residential packaging and paper recycling. They also collect material in accordance with the Province of BC’s Recycling Regulation. 

Recycle BC offers this easy way to determine if material (that is recyclable) can be included in their system. If it’s recyclable and its packaging or paper it’s included. If it’s a product, meaning it was the item you purchased (not the packaging around the item you purchased) it’s not recyclable as part to their program.

Find out more detail from Recycle BC at this link.

The CSRD has adopted zoning and rural land use bylaws which may apply to your land. These bylaws establish parcel sizes, exceptions, configuration, amenity and service requirements which must be adhered to when designing a subdivision. The CSRD has also adopted the Subdivision Servicing Bylaw No. 641, which provides details of construction standards for community water systems as well as onsite water provision requirements.

In the initial stages of planning a subdivision, it is wise to contact the CSRD Development Services Department for bylaw information. The Ministry of Transportation office should also be contacted for regulations pursuant to the Local Services Act which will establish parcel and servicing requirements for areas outside of local bylaw application. The Ministry of Transportation also provides detailed information on road grades and alignments and may be able to advise you with respect to the need and nature of geological or hazard assessment.The Interior Health Authority will also be involved in the subdivision process, as your proposed parcels will be subject to sanitary sewage disposal regulations. In the case of a community collection system, the Ministry of Environment may also be involved.

If your land is within the Agricultural Land Reserve as established by the Provincial Agricultural Land Commission (PALC), you cannot subdivide unless you have received prior approval from the PALC, or if the proposed subdivision meets the requirements as set out in Section 5. Permitted Subdivisions, of B.C. Reg. 171/2002 of the Agricultural Land Commission Act.

An "Applicant Information Package" for Agricultural Land Reserve applications is available from the CSRD Development Services Department, which outlines the approval process.  The average approval may take from three to six months to finalize and may vary according to the complexities of the specific proposal.  Local government offices must be contacted for information and approval processes regarding a subdivision proposal within individual jurisdiction areas.

No. The water meters only transmit when downloading a reading, which is requested by the mobile drive-by VXU device. The only water meter system in active use is the Cedar Heights System.

Currently water meters are only active in the Cedar Heights system. The water meters are read quarterly by a drive-by reading device.

Turning off your water system can have the potential to cause damage if done incorrectly. We recommend residents contact the CSRD Operations Department at 250.833.5950 or email operations@csrd.bc.ca for information.

If there is an after-hours water emergency that requires a water shut off, please contact the After-Hours Emergencies line at: 1.877.996.3344 or 250.832.2424.

There can be a cost to the consumer for water service shut off or to reconnect.

If you are infected with HIV, have AIDS, are a cancer patient, are taking immunosuppressive drugs after a transplant or were born with a weakened immune system, you need to discuss this matter with your doctor. If you have been advised to boil your water, bring it to a rolling boil for one minute (three minutes at higher altitudes). This includes water for cooking, drinking, brushing teeth, washing food and so on. Any water you might swallow should be boiled.

The SCADA system that is currently used by CSRD and our contractors is internet-based and can be accessed through a laptop computer at any location. This system helps staff monitor and control our water systems and allows for better coverage and a higher level of service while simulatenously reducing costs.  Operators at any location can not only monitor, but can actually change the set points for flow, chlorine dose, pump run times etc. They can also react to alarming conditions, such as loss of flow, reservoir levels, power outage or high/low temperatures.

Trends in parameters such as reservoir levels, chlorine residual and turbidity can be graphed over a day, week or months, which enables CSRD staff to prevent any possible issues.This provides for a proactive rather than reactive apporach, thereby reducing callouts.

Example of a typical SCADA screen (Cedar Heights):

There are two types of water meters used in the CSRD: the Sensus SR II water meters or the iPerl meter.