Under the Soil Removal and Deposit Bylaw, permits are required to remove or deposit soil or other materials on land within the City.
The bylaw ensures that soil removal and deposit activities do not negatively affect neighbouring properties, roads, public safety or the environment.
Get Started: Pre-application
Owners, contractors, businesses and others require a Soil Removal and Deposit Permit to remove or deposit 200 cubic metres or more of soil or other materials on land within the City.
A permit is commonly required for:
Preloading for building construction
Infilling of excavations
Excavations for buildings, underground parking and utilities
Removal of contaminated soil from remediation sites
Land-raising for flood proofing purposes
Types of materials covered by the bylaw include:
Soil: defined as earth, sand gravel, rock silts, clays, peats or any other substance of which land is composed
Other materials: defined as including chemical waste products, tree stumps, petroleum products, construction or demolition waste (including masonry brick, asphalt, concrete rubble), and unchipped lumber
Soil removal and deposit on land in the Agricultural Land Reserve must comply with the Agricultural Land Commission Act. Approval from the Agricultural Land Commission may be required, in addition to a Port Coquitlam Soil Removal and Deposit Permit.
Contact Engineering for information regarding ALR properties.
Application Process
The Engineering & Public Works Department will only accept complete application packages. Please allow 15 working days for your application to be reviewed.
Your site may be inspected as part of your approval and monitoring process, and your project must comply with applicable regulations and permit conditions at all times.
If your project requires an extension, you must apply to renew your permit at least 15 working days before your permit expires.
To renew your permit, please provide the applicable application fee (see Soil Removal and Deposit Bylaw) and update all applicable drawing and specifications as necessary to identify any material changes to site conditions and to demonstrate compliance with current bylaws and regulations.
Upon the completion of your soil removal and deposit works the applicant must provide a statement from a registered professional stating:
The final quantity of soil removed and/or deposited and supporting documents, which may include hauling receipts, trucking manifests, or updated topographic plans
Confirmation that all works have substantially complied with permit requirements, that soil removal and deposit area has been reclaimed in accordance with the plans, and that the land is safe for the intended use.
