Flood Hazard Land Use Management
Experience has shown that regulating land development to keep people out of harm’s way is the most practical and cost effective way of reducing the flood threat to lives and property.
Local governments have the authority to develop flood hazard area bylaws without ministry approval but with consideration of ministry policy and guidelines.
Local governments, if they consider it advisable, have authority to grant exemptions if the exemptions are consistent with the Provincial Guidelines or a professional engineer or geoscientist experienced in geotechnical engineering certifies that property in a floodplain can be safely used for the use intended.
Local government or provincial Ministry of Transportation approving officers determine the requirements for subdivision in flood prone areas, can require an engineering report regarding safety of use, and also can require a restrictive covenant.
For further information see:
For Ministry of Transportation rural subdivision information, please visit MoT's development approval web page:
For Provincial Legislation – see the links at the Queen’s Printer page
- Land Title Act
- Local Government Act
For historical information on the flood hazard legislation see the following Bulletins:
- Changes in Diking and Land Use Management for Flood Hazard Areas
January 2004
- Additional Legislative Changes to Clarify Bylaw Authority
May 2004
For information on floodplain areas identified under the Canada / British Columbia Floodplain Mapping Agreement please follow this link.
A survey of local government flood hazard management practices was undertaken in 1998 and updated in 2002, see the results below:
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