{"site":"Greater Victoria Drainage","url":"https://greatervictoriadrainage.com","generated":"2026-11-13","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","licence":"Facts may be cited with attribution to the source shown and a link to this site.","facts":[{"id":"tax.pst.real-property-contractor","topic":"tax","fact":"Does a contractor add PST to a drainage bill?","value":"No, as a rule. The contractor pays PST on the pipe, gravel and fittings when they buy them; it is a cost inside the price, not a line added to it","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["This is about PST only. It says nothing about GST, which is a separate federal tax on the service."],"sources":[{"id":"bc-pst-notice-2022-001","name":"Provincial Sales Tax Notice 2022-001 — Notice to Real Property Contractors","url":"https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/taxes/sales-taxes/publications/notice-2022-001-real-property-contractors.pdf","publisher":"Province of British Columbia, Ministry of Finance"}],"last_verified":"2026-10-06","recheck_by":"2027-04-06","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"tax.pst.exception-rule","topic":"tax","fact":"When can a contractor make the customer pay the PST?","value":"Only by agreement, in writing, and only where the conditions for the exception rule are met","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["If it is not in the written agreement, it is not the exception rule — and a PST line that appears for the first time on the final invoice is worth asking about"],"sources":[{"id":"bc-pst-notice-2022-001","name":"Provincial Sales Tax Notice 2022-001 — Notice to Real Property Contractors","url":"https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/taxes/sales-taxes/publications/notice-2022-001-real-property-contractors.pdf","publisher":"Province of British Columbia, Ministry of Finance"}],"last_verified":"2026-10-06","recheck_by":"2027-04-06","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"strata.drains-are-common-property","topic":"strata","fact":"In a strata, whose perimeter drain is it?","value":"The strata's. A below-grade perimeter drainage system on the outside of the foundation walls is common property","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["Your own strata plan and bylaws decide what is common property in your building; this is the usual answer, not an automatic one"],"sources":[{"id":"bclaws-spa-72","name":"Strata Property Act, SBC 1998 c.43, section 72 — Repair of property","url":"https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/98043_05","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Laws)"},{"id":"bccrt-stadacona-583","name":"Stadacona Dental Centre Ltd. v. The Owners, Strata Plan 1136, 2020 BCCRT 583","url":"https://decisions.civilresolutionbc.ca/crt/sd/en/482553/1/document.do","publisher":"Civil Resolution Tribunal of British Columbia"}],"last_verified":"2026-10-06","recheck_by":"2027-04-06","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"strata.cannot-transfer-repair","topic":"strata","fact":"Can the strata put the repair back on the owner?","value":"No. Section 72 makes the strata responsible for repairing common property, and that duty cannot be handed to the owner","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["The strata may still raise the money by special levy, in which case every owner pays a share — including you"],"sources":[{"id":"bclaws-spa-72","name":"Strata Property Act, SBC 1998 c.43, section 72 — Repair of property","url":"https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/98043_05","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Laws)"},{"id":"bccrt-stadacona-583","name":"Stadacona Dental Centre Ltd. v. The Owners, Strata Plan 1136, 2020 BCCRT 583","url":"https://decisions.civilresolutionbc.ca/crt/sd/en/482553/1/document.do","publisher":"Civil Resolution Tribunal of British Columbia"}],"last_verified":"2026-10-06","recheck_by":"2027-04-06","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"insurance.outside-water","topic":"insurance","fact":"Is water that comes in from outside covered as standard?","value":"No. Sewer backup, overland water and groundwater seepage are each optional, bought separately, and none is in a standard policy","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"Canada","conditions":["Wording differs between insurers — your own policy is what decides a claim, not a summary"],"sources":[{"id":"ibc-flooding","name":"Flooding and insurance — what home insurance covers and what is optional","url":"https://www.ibc.ca/stay-protected/severe-weather-centre/flooding-and-insurance","publisher":"Insurance Bureau of Canada"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-04-06","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"insurance.groundwater-endorsement","topic":"insurance","fact":"Can groundwater cover be bought at all?","value":"Sometimes — some insurers sell groundwater and seepage protection as an optional endorsement, separately or bundled","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"Canada","conditions":["Availability varies by insurer and by the house — a home with a known drainage history may be refused"],"sources":[{"id":"ibc-flooding","name":"Flooding and insurance — what home insurance covers and what is optional","url":"https://www.ibc.ca/stay-protected/severe-weather-centre/flooding-and-insurance","publisher":"Insurance Bureau of Canada"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-04-06","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"insurance.flood-scope","topic":"insurance","fact":"What optional flood cover actually includes","value":"Overflow of lakes, ponds or rivers; surface water from heavy rain or melting snow; and ground water or a rising water table entering at ground level or seeping through windows, doors and walls","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"Canada","conditions":["Having flood cover does not mean having sewer backup cover, and the reverse — they are three separate purchases"],"sources":[{"id":"ibc-flooding","name":"Flooding and insurance — what home insurance covers and what is optional","url":"https://www.ibc.ca/stay-protected/severe-weather-centre/flooding-and-insurance","publisher":"Insurance Bureau of Canada"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-04-06","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.drain-required","topic":"code","fact":"Does a house have to have a foundation drain?","value":"Yes — unless it can be shown to be unnecessary, the bottom of every exterior foundation wall must be drained, either by drainage tile or pipe around the outside of the foundation or by a layer of clean crushed rock","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["Applies to new construction and to work that replaces the drainage","A granular drainage layer is an accepted alternative to pipe"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-14","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.14 — Drainage","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s914","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.pipe-diameter","topic":"code","fact":"Minimum pipe size for a foundation drain","value":"100 mm (4 inches)","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":[],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-14","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.14 — Drainage","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s914","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH","unit":"mm"},{"id":"code.pipe-depth","topic":"code","fact":"How deep the drain has to sit","value":"On undisturbed or well-compacted soil, with the top of the pipe below the bottom of the floor slab or the crawl space ground cover","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["A drain laid higher than the slab cannot drain the water that reaches the floor"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-14","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.14 — Drainage","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s914","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.gravel-cover","topic":"code","fact":"Crushed stone over the pipe","value":"At least 150 mm of crushed stone or other coarse clean granular material, with no more than 10% passing a 4 mm sieve","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["“Clean” matters: fines wash in and blind the stone, and the drain silts up"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-14","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.14 — Drainage","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s914","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH","unit":"mm"},{"id":"code.joint-gap","topic":"code","fact":"Open joints on butt-jointed tile","value":"6 mm to 10 mm, with the top half of each joint covered with sheathing paper, 0.10 mm polyethylene or No. 15 asphalt or tar-saturated felt","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":[],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-14","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.14 — Drainage","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s914","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH","unit":"mm"},{"id":"code.disposal","topic":"code","fact":"Where a foundation drain is allowed to discharge","value":"To a sewer, a drainage ditch or a dry well","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["A dry well may be used only where the natural groundwater level is below the bottom of the dry well, and must be at least 5 m from the foundation (Sentences 9.14.5.3.(1) and (2))"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-14","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.14 — Drainage","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s914","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.sump-pit","topic":"code","fact":"Sump pit requirements","value":"At least 750 mm deep, at least 0.25 m² in area, and covered; the cover must resist removal by children and be airtight","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["Where gravity drainage is not practical, an automatic sump pump must discharge the pit to a sewer, ditch or dry well (Sentence 9.14.5.2.(3))"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-14","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.14 — Drainage","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s914","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.grading","topic":"code","fact":"What the Code says about the ground around the house","value":"The building must be located, or the site graded, so that water will not accumulate at or near the building","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["Surface water is a separate problem from subsurface drainage, and is much cheaper to fix"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-14","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.14 — Drainage","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s914","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.materials","topic":"code","fact":"Pipe materials the Code accepts for foundation drainage","value":"Clay drain tile (ASTM C 4), concrete drain tile (ASTM C 412M), perforated concrete pipe (ASTM C 444M), vitrified clay pipe (ASTM C 700), polyethylene flexible drainage pipe (BNQ 3624-115), plastic drain and sewer pipe (CAN/CSA-B182.1) or corrugated steel pipe (CSA G401)","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":[],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-14","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.14 — Drainage","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s914","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"permit.victoria.inspection","topic":"permit","fact":"Victoria: the inspection that happens before the trench is filled","value":"Perimeter drain tile and dampproofing must be inspected before the installation is concealed and before backfilling","location":"City of Victoria","jurisdiction":"City of Victoria","conditions":["Once the trench is filled, nobody can see what was installed — this inspection is the homeowner's only independent check"],"sources":[{"id":"victoria-inspections","name":"Required Building Inspections (0021BLDG2021, 27 May 2022)","url":"https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/required-inspectionspdf","publisher":"City of Victoria, Permits and Inspections Division"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"permit.victoria.plumbing","topic":"permit","fact":"Victoria: what needs a plumbing permit","value":"A permit is required for the installation or alteration of a connection to the stormwater utility, and for any sanitary sewer or water service work","location":"City of Victoria","jurisdiction":"City of Victoria","conditions":["The page does not address perimeter drains themselves; the connection to the storm system is what it covers"],"sources":[{"id":"victoria-plumbing","name":"Plumbing permits","url":"https://www.victoria.ca/building-business/permits-development-construction/building-renovating/plumbing-permits","publisher":"City of Victoria"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"permit.saanich.who","topic":"permit","fact":"Saanich: who is allowed to do which part of the work","value":"Anyone may install perimeter foundation drainage, but storm laterals, sanitary sewer lines, rainwater leader systems and water lines may only be done by a certified plumber, a supervised indentured apprentice, or the registered owner-occupant with approved drawings","location":"District of Saanich","jurisdiction":"District of Saanich","conditions":["The drain itself and the pipe that carries its water away are governed differently — a quote can be legitimate for one and not the other"],"sources":[{"id":"saanich-plumbing","name":"Plumbing permits — what needs one and who may do the work","url":"https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/local-government/inspections-services/other-permits/plumbing-permits.html","publisher":"District of Saanich"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"permit.saanich.items","topic":"permit","fact":"Saanich: the plumbing permit's own line items","value":"The application form lists Storm Drain Lateral, Sewer Lateral, Water Service, Manhole and Replace Drain Tile","location":"District of Saanich","jurisdiction":"District of Saanich","conditions":[],"sources":[{"id":"saanich-plumbing","name":"Plumbing permits — what needs one and who may do the work","url":"https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/local-government/inspections-services/other-permits/plumbing-permits.html","publisher":"District of Saanich"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"price.scope","topic":"price","fact":"Camera inspection (drain scope) in Greater Victoria","value":"From $295","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"Greater Victoria","conditions":["The lowest published figure we can cite; a longer run or a difficult access point costs more","Ask whether you receive the video and a written report"],"sources":[{"id":"raintek-faq","name":"Common drainage questions","url":"https://www.raintek.ca/about/common-drainage-questions","publisher":"RainTek Drainage & Waterproofing (Victoria)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"SECONDARY","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"normal","confidence":"MEDIUM","unit":"CAD"},{"id":"price.install","topic":"price","fact":"New drainage installation in Greater Victoria","value":"$2,000–$10,000","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"Greater Victoria","conditions":["Depth of the foundation, access for a machine, and what has to be put back (concrete, landscaping) move it most"],"sources":[{"id":"raintek-faq","name":"Common drainage questions","url":"https://www.raintek.ca/about/common-drainage-questions","publisher":"RainTek Drainage & Waterproofing (Victoria)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"SECONDARY","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"normal","confidence":"MEDIUM","range":{"low":2000,"high":10000},"unit":"CAD"},{"id":"price.install.lower-mainland","topic":"price","fact":"The same job quoted in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland","value":"$8,000–$15,000 and up","location":"Metro Vancouver","jurisdiction":"Metro Vancouver","conditions":[],"sources":[{"id":"hydropro-cost","name":"Perimeter drain replacement cost in Vancouver","url":"https://hydroproplumbing.ca/blog/perimeter-drain-replacement-cost-vancouver","publisher":"HydroPro Plumbing (Vancouver)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"SECONDARY","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"normal","confidence":"MEDIUM","range":{"low":8000,"high":15000},"unit":"CAD"},{"id":"duration.replacement","topic":"process","fact":"How long a perimeter drain replacement takes","value":"1 to 4 weeks","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"Greater Victoria","conditions":["Terrain, landscaping to reinstate and access decide where in that range a house lands"],"sources":[{"id":"raintek-faq","name":"Common drainage questions","url":"https://www.raintek.ca/about/common-drainage-questions","publisher":"RainTek Drainage & Waterproofing (Victoria)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"SECONDARY","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"normal","confidence":"MEDIUM"},{"id":"system.older-pipe","topic":"system","fact":"What older Greater Victoria houses have in the ground","value":"A single 4-inch pipe, sometimes 3-inch","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"Greater Victoria","conditions":["Clay tile and concrete pipe were laid in short lengths with open joints — the same joints that let water in let roots in"],"sources":[{"id":"raintek-faq","name":"Common drainage questions","url":"https://www.raintek.ca/about/common-drainage-questions","publisher":"RainTek Drainage & Waterproofing (Victoria)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"SECONDARY","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"normal","confidence":"MEDIUM"},{"id":"system.newer-pipe","topic":"system","fact":"What a current installation looks like","value":"Two pipes: a solid PVC pipe carrying roof and surface water, and a separate 4-inch perforated PVC pipe taking groundwater from beside the footing","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"Greater Victoria","conditions":["Keeping roof water out of the perforated pipe is the point: a downspout tied into the foundation drain floods the thing that is supposed to keep the basement dry"],"sources":[{"id":"raintek-faq","name":"Common drainage questions","url":"https://www.raintek.ca/about/common-drainage-questions","publisher":"RainTek Drainage & Waterproofing (Victoria)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"SECONDARY","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"normal","confidence":"MEDIUM"},{"id":"stormwater.victoria.rate","topic":"stormwater","fact":"What Victoria charges for stormwater","value":"$1.1062 per square metre of impervious area per year","location":"City of Victoria","jurisdiction":"City of Victoria","conditions":["Impervious area is roof, driveway and other hard surfaces — the water your drainage has to deal with"],"sources":[{"id":"victoria-stormwater","name":"Stormwater utility and the Rainwater Rewards programme","url":"https://www.victoria.ca/home-property/utilities/stormwater-management/stormwater-utility","publisher":"City of Victoria"}],"effective_date":"2026-01-01","last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH","unit":"CAD per m² per year"},{"id":"stormwater.victoria.credit","topic":"stormwater","fact":"Victoria's Rainwater Rewards credit","value":"A 10% credit for every low-density residential property, and 2.5% to 50% off the annual stormwater bill for an approved on-site rainwater management method","location":"City of Victoria","jurisdiction":"City of Victoria","conditions":["This is a credit against a utility bill, not a rebate on drainage work","Only the City of Victoria runs one; the other twelve municipalities do not"],"sources":[{"id":"victoria-stormwater","name":"Stormwater utility and the Rainwater Rewards programme","url":"https://www.victoria.ca/home-property/utilities/stormwater-management/stormwater-utility","publisher":"City of Victoria"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.no-surface-water-in-drain","topic":"code","fact":"May roof or driveway water be put into the perimeter drain?","value":"No — the Building Code Appeal Board has held that foundation perimeter drains are perforated subsoil drainage pipes which cannot form part of a storm drainage system, and that area drains must instead be connected to the storm sewer with approved solid pipe","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["The ruling concerned driveway area drains; the same reasoning is why roof water does not belong in the perforated pipe either","Older houses were often plumbed before this was settled, so an existing connection is common and is not evidence that it is correct"],"sources":[{"id":"bcab-1226","name":"BCAB #1226 — Area drains (18 December 1990)","url":"https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/construction-industry/building-codes-standards/building-code-appeal-board/building-code-appeal-board-decisions/bcab-1226","publisher":"Building Code Appeal Board, Province of British Columbia"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.interior-drainage-permitted","topic":"code","fact":"Is interior foundation drainage allowed in British Columbia?","value":"Yes, where it protects a lower floor-on-ground: the Appeal Board reversed a local authority that had refused it, finding that the Code requires drainage at the exterior and does not prohibit installing it in other locations as well","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["The exterior requirement still stands; this is about whether interior drainage may be added or used on a stepped site","A building official may not be aware of a decision this recent"],"sources":[{"id":"bcab-2000","name":"BCAB #2000 — Foundation wall drainage at interior locations (18 June 2026)","url":"https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/construction-industry/building-codes-standards/building-code-appeal-board/building-code-appeal-board-decisions/bcab-2000","publisher":"Building Code Appeal Board, Province of British Columbia"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"guidance.saanich.downspout-distance","topic":"process","fact":"How far from the wall Saanich says a downspout should discharge","value":"About 1.2 metres, or four feet, away from basement walls — and not onto a neighbour's property","location":"District of Saanich","jurisdiction":"District of Saanich","conditions":["This is guidance on the district's own page, not a bylaw requirement","It is the cheapest thing on any of these pages to act on"],"sources":[{"id":"saanich-stormwater","name":"Stormwater: homeowner responsibilities","url":"https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/local-government/departments/engineering-department/stormwater/homeowner-responsibilities.html","publisher":"District of Saanich, Engineering Department"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"SECONDARY","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"normal","confidence":"MEDIUM","unit":"metres"},{"id":"guidance.saanich.blockage-responsibility","topic":"process","fact":"Whose problem is a blockage past the property line, in Saanich?","value":"The homeowner's to locate: Saanich tells homeowners they must determine where the blockage is within the sewer connection, and that it does not matter whether it is on private or public property","location":"District of Saanich","jurisdiction":"District of Saanich","conditions":["Many homeowners assume the municipality deals with anything past the property line","Locating the blockage is what a camera inspection does"],"sources":[{"id":"saanich-stormwater","name":"Stormwater: homeowner responsibilities","url":"https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/local-government/departments/engineering-department/stormwater/homeowner-responsibilities.html","publisher":"District of Saanich, Engineering Department"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"SECONDARY","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"normal","confidence":"MEDIUM"},{"id":"data.victoria.cleanout","topic":"data","fact":"Does my property have a storm drain cleanout?","value":"The City of Victoria publishes cleanout locations as open data, and notes that older properties may not have one at all","location":"City of Victoria","jurisdiction":"City of Victoria","conditions":["A property with no cleanout is harder and costlier to inspect, and a quote should say how access will be gained","City of Victoria only; the other twelve municipalities were not found to publish the same data"],"sources":[{"id":"victoria-opendata-storm","name":"Storm drain open data: lateral lines, cleanouts, outfalls and catchments","url":"https://opendata.victoria.ca/search?q=storm%20drain","publisher":"City of Victoria Open Data Portal"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"SECONDARY","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"normal","confidence":"MEDIUM"},{"id":"data.victoria.storm-laterals","topic":"data","fact":"What the City knows about the pipe from your property to the main","value":"The City of Victoria publishes 12,046 storm drain lateral records with their route, owner and diameter; pipe material is recorded for about one in eight of them and an installation date for about one in sixteen","location":"City of Victoria","jurisdiction":"City of Victoria","conditions":["This is the lateral from the property to the main, not the perimeter drain around your footings — that one is private and nobody has a map of it","City of Victoria only"],"sources":[{"id":"victoria-opendata-storm","name":"Storm drain open data: lateral lines, cleanouts, outfalls and catchments","url":"https://opendata.victoria.ca/search?q=storm%20drain","publisher":"City of Victoria Open Data Portal"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"SECONDARY","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"normal","confidence":"MEDIUM"},{"id":"code.crawl-water-ingress","topic":"code","fact":"What the Code requires about water getting into a crawl space","value":"Except where it can be shown to be unnecessary, the ingress of water into a crawl space shall be controlled by grading or drainage","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["Grading is listed first and is the cheaper of the two","The same 'unless shown to be unnecessary' wording appears in the foundation drainage requirement"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-18","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.18 — Crawl Spaces","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s918","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.crawl-drainage-same","topic":"code","fact":"Is a crawl space drain a different system from a basement drain?","value":"No — the Code sends crawl spaces back to the same section: drainage of foundation walls shall conform to Article 9.14.2.1, and drains shall conform to Section 9.14","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["So pipe size, depth, stone cover and discharge rules are identical to a basement house","Drainage of the ground cover itself is sent to Subsection 9.16.3 instead"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-18","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.18 — Crawl Spaces","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s918","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.crawl-ground-cover-unheated","topic":"code","fact":"Ground cover required in an unheated crawl space","value":"Not less than 50 mm of asphalt, 100 mm of 15 MPa Portland cement concrete, Type S roll roofing, or 0.10 mm polyethylene, with sheet joints lapped at least 100 mm and weighted down","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["Four materials, all equally acceptable under the Code"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-18","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.18 — Crawl Spaces","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s918","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.crawl-ground-cover-heated","topic":"code","fact":"Ground cover required in a heated crawl space","value":"Polyethylene sheet of not less than 0.15 mm installed as part of an air barrier system, with joints lapped at least 300 mm, sealed and weighted or covered with 50 mm of concrete, the perimeter sealed to the foundation wall and every penetration sealed against air leakage","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["A crawl space counts as heated if it is a hot air plenum, carries unsealed heating ducts, or is not separated from heated space (Article 9.18.1.3)","This is a markedly more demanding spec than the unheated one, and it is the one most often done to a lower standard"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-18","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.18 — Crawl Spaces","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s918","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.crawl-vent-area","topic":"code","fact":"Ventilation required in an unheated crawl space","value":"Where it is ventilated naturally, not less than 0.1 square metres of unobstructed vent area for every 50 square metres of floor area, uniformly distributed on opposite sides of the building","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["Vents must also be designed to keep out snow, rain and insects","Blocked or buried vents are common on older Greater Victoria houses where garden beds have risen over the years"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-18","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.18 — Crawl Spaces","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s918","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH","unit":"square metres"},{"id":"code.crawl-access","topic":"code","fact":"Minimum crawl space access opening","value":"Not less than 500 mm by 700 mm where the crawl space serves a single dwelling unit","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["Also relevant to whether a contractor can get equipment in to inspect or work"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-18","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.18 — Crawl Spaces","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s918","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.crawl-ground-cover-choice","topic":"code","fact":"Can a building official insist on concrete rather than poly?","value":"No — the Appeal Board held that polyethylene ground cover is acceptable in a crawl space and that the choice of which permitted material to use belongs to the owner or builder, not the building official","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["The decision predates the current Code text, so use the current material list rather than the one recited in the decision","The holding is about choosing among permitted materials, not about installing something the Code does not list"],"sources":[{"id":"bcab-1373","name":"BCAB #1373 — Ground cover in a crawl space (16 December 1994)","url":"https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/construction-industry/building-codes-standards/building-code-appeal-board/building-code-appeal-board-decisions/bcab-1373","publisher":"Building Code Appeal Board, Province of British Columbia"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.pipe-location-latitude","topic":"code","fact":"Does the drain pipe have to sit at the bottom of the footing?","value":"Not necessarily — the Appeal Board found it is not necessary for the drain pipe to be at the bottom of the wall or at the level of the footing, provided it is below the level of the floor slab","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["The Board decided this on the facts before it, on a stepped section of foundation wall","It does not license a pipe laid above the slab, which is the genuinely defective case"],"sources":[{"id":"bcab-1345","name":"BCAB #1345 — Location of foundation perimeter drain pipe (18 April 1994)","url":"https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/construction-industry/building-codes-standards/building-code-appeal-board/building-code-appeal-board-decisions/bcab-1345","publisher":"Building Code Appeal Board, Province of British Columbia"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.sump-pump-required","topic":"code","fact":"When does the Code require a pump?","value":"Only where gravity drainage is not practical — in that case an automatic sump pump shall be provided to discharge the water from the sump pit into a sewer, drainage ditch or dry well","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["Read the other way round: where gravity is practical, the Code does not ask for a pump","A granular drainage layer, used instead of pipe, must be graded to drain to a sump conforming to Article 9.14.5.2"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-14","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.14 — Drainage","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s914","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.dry-well","topic":"code","fact":"Where a dry well is allowed to be","value":"Only in areas where the natural groundwater level is below the bottom of the dry well, not less than 5 metres from the building foundation, and located so that drainage is away from the building","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["Rules out the soakaway dug just outside the wall, which is a common homeowner improvisation","On a high water table site a dry well may not be an option at all"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-14","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.14 — Drainage","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s914","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH","unit":"metres"},{"id":"code.window-well","topic":"code","fact":"Do window wells have to be drained?","value":"Yes — every window well shall be drained to the footing level or other suitable location","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["An undrained window well is a bucket against the wall, and a common single-point cause of a wet basement corner"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-14","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.14 — Drainage","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s914","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.catch-basin","topic":"code","fact":"Driveway runoff heading for the garage","value":"Where runoff water from a driveway is likely to accumulate or enter a garage, a catch basin shall be installed to provide adequate drainage","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["The Appeal Board has separately held that such area drains must be connected to the storm sewer in solid pipe, not into the perforated perimeter drain"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-14","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.14 — Drainage","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s914","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"permit.inspection.three","topic":"permit","fact":"Which municipalities inspect the drain before it is buried","value":"Three publish the rule in their own bylaws: Victoria, Highlands and North Saanich","location":"Greater Victoria","jurisdiction":"Greater Victoria","conditions":["This is the one moment an independent person sees the pipe, the stone and the dampproofing","The other ten municipalities do not publish an equivalent rule; that is not the same as there being none"],"sources":[{"id":"victoria-inspections","name":"Required Building Inspections (0021BLDG2021, 27 May 2022)","url":"https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/required-inspectionspdf","publisher":"City of Victoria, Permits and Inspections Division"},{"id":"highlands-inspections","name":"Building permits and inspections","url":"https://www.highlands.ca/building-development-planning/building/building-permits-inspections","publisher":"District of Highlands"},{"id":"northsaanich-bylaw1150","name":"Building and Plumbing Bylaw No. 1150, consolidated to 18 March 2019","url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/1150-Building-Plumbing-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED-March-18-2019.pdf","publisher":"District of North Saanich"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"permit.northsaanich.municipal-crews","topic":"permit","fact":"North Saanich: who may connect to the main","value":"Municipal crews only — all sewer connections to municipal mains or laterals on municipal property or rights-of-way are to be made by municipal crews unless express written permission is given by the Director of Infrastructure Services","location":"District of North Saanich","jurisdiction":"District of North Saanich","conditions":["A contractor quoting the connection as their own work in North Saanich should be asked how","The drain on your own property is a separate question from the connection at the street"],"sources":[{"id":"northsaanich-bylaw1150","name":"Building and Plumbing Bylaw No. 1150, consolidated to 18 March 2019","url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/1150-Building-Plumbing-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED-March-18-2019.pdf","publisher":"District of North Saanich"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"permit.northsaanich.inspection-chamber","topic":"permit","fact":"North Saanich: inspection chamber at the property line","value":"Every connection to a sanitary sewer or storm sewer service shall be fitted at the property line with an inspection chamber, except where one conforming to the Subdivision and Development Control Bylaw already exists","location":"District of North Saanich","jurisdiction":"District of North Saanich","conditions":["An inspection chamber is what lets a camera reach the lateral later, which is why its absence raises the cost of every future inspection"],"sources":[{"id":"northsaanich-bylaw1150","name":"Building and Plumbing Bylaw No. 1150, consolidated to 18 March 2019","url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/wp-content/uploads/1150-Building-Plumbing-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED-March-18-2019.pdf","publisher":"District of North Saanich"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"permit.oakbay.storm-lateral","topic":"permit","fact":"Oak Bay: replacing a storm drain lateral","value":"A plumbing permit is required, and the page names it: new or altered plumbing systems include replacing storm drain and sanitary sewer laterals on private property","location":"District of Oak Bay","jurisdiction":"District of Oak Bay","conditions":["This is the only municipality found that names the private-property storm lateral explicitly","If the plumbing permit relates to a building permit, the building permit must be issued first"],"sources":[{"id":"oakbay-plumbing","name":"Plumbing permits","url":"https://www.oakbay.ca/services/plumbing-permit","publisher":"District of Oak Bay"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"permit.homeowner-may-hold","topic":"permit","fact":"Can a homeowner hold the plumbing permit?","value":"In Oak Bay and Central Saanich, yes, on conditions: the homeowner must demonstrate plumbing code knowledge and submit an isometric drawing of the proposed plumbing","location":"Greater Victoria","jurisdiction":"Greater Victoria","conditions":["Central Saanich also requires a current business licence of a ticketed plumber","Holding the permit and being able to do the work safely are different questions"],"sources":[{"id":"oakbay-plumbing","name":"Plumbing permits","url":"https://www.oakbay.ca/services/plumbing-permit","publisher":"District of Oak Bay"},{"id":"centralsaanich-permits","name":"Residential permits","url":"https://www.centralsaanich.ca/home-property-development/building-property-improvements/residential-permits","publisher":"District of Central Saanich"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"permit.viewroyal.drainage-connection","topic":"permit","fact":"View Royal: a permit named after the job","value":"A Drainage Connection Permit, issued under Streets Bylaw No. 980, Section 10.3, to install a storm sewer service connection","location":"Town of View Royal","jurisdiction":"Town of View Royal","conditions":["Submitting the application is not the same as holding the permit, and the form says so"],"sources":[{"id":"viewroyal-drainage","name":"Drainage Connection Permit Application (November 2019)","url":"https://www.viewroyal.ca/assets/Business~and~Development/Permits-Inspections/Engineering~Permits-Servicing~Applications/Drainage%20Connection%20Permit%20Application.pdf","publisher":"Town of View Royal"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"permit.sooke.storm-connection","topic":"permit","fact":"Sooke: connecting to the municipal system","value":"A permit is required to connect to a municipal sanitary or storm sewer system, and to install or alter plumbing within a building or on a property — which Sooke notes applies to piping rather than to changing fixtures","location":"District of Sooke","jurisdiction":"District of Sooke","conditions":[],"sources":[{"id":"sooke-permits","name":"Building and renovating: when a permit is required","url":"https://www.sooke.ca/programs-services/building-and-renovating/","publisher":"District of Sooke"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"permit.metchosin.storm-alteration","topic":"permit","fact":"Metchosin: altering a storm connection","value":"A plumbing permit item — the application form's own schedule lists “Altering Storm/Sewer”, “Storm/Sewer”, “Sump Pump/Catch Basin”, “Building Drain” and “Floor Drains”","location":"District of Metchosin","jurisdiction":"District of Metchosin","conditions":["Metchosin publishes no separate guidance on perimeter drainage itself"],"sources":[{"id":"metchosin-plumbing","name":"Plumbing Permit Application (November 2024)","url":"http://www.metchosin.ca/sites/metchosin.ca/files/2024-11/Plumbing%20Permit%20New%20Application.pdf","publisher":"District of Metchosin"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"permit.esquimalt.sump-catch-basin","topic":"permit","fact":"Esquimalt: what the plumbing permit covers","value":"The application form's schedule of permitted items includes “AREA SUMP & CATCH BASIN”, “ROOF DRAIN” and “INTERNAL ROOF LEADER/RWL'S”; perimeter drainage itself is not mentioned anywhere the Township publishes","location":"Township of Esquimalt","jurisdiction":"Township of Esquimalt","conditions":["Confirm with the Township before relying on this: a sump is clearly a permitted item, a perimeter drain is simply unaddressed"],"sources":[{"id":"esquimalt-plumbing","name":"Application for Plumbing Permit (April 2023)","url":"https://www.esquimalt.ca/sites/default/files/docs/municipal-services/Development/application_for_plumbing_permit_2023_Apr.pdf","publisher":"Township of Esquimalt"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"permit.sidney.stormwater-covenant","topic":"permit","fact":"Sidney: new construction and a covenant on title","value":"Applications for new construction, or projects that decrease site permeability, will likely require a storm water management system designed by a professional civil engineer, and a covenant must be registered on the property title before a building permit can be issued","location":"Town of Sidney","jurisdiction":"Town of Sidney","conditions":["This is aimed at new construction and hard-surfacing, not at replacing a failed drain","A covenant on title is a long-lived obligation and worth reading before you sign it"],"sources":[{"id":"sidney-permits","name":"Building permits and inspections","url":"https://www.sidney.ca/business-development/building-permits","publisher":"Town of Sidney"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"permit.unconfirmed","topic":"permit","fact":"Where we have not been able to confirm the rule","value":"Four municipalities — Esquimalt, Colwood, Langford and Sidney — publish a plumbing permit but nothing about whether perimeter drainage itself is permitted work","location":"Greater Victoria","jurisdiction":"Greater Victoria","conditions":["Published-nothing is not the same as no rule; phone the municipality before you rely on it","Langford's published trigger is any installation, alteration or repair of a plumbing system, which may or may not be read to include a foundation drain"],"sources":[{"id":"esquimalt-plumbing","name":"Application for Plumbing Permit (April 2023)","url":"https://www.esquimalt.ca/sites/default/files/docs/municipal-services/Development/application_for_plumbing_permit_2023_Apr.pdf","publisher":"Township of Esquimalt"},{"id":"colwood-permits","name":"Building permits and application forms","url":"https://www.colwood.ca/business-building-development/building/building-permits","publisher":"City of Colwood"},{"id":"langford-permits","name":"Building permits","url":"https://www.langford.ca/business-development/building-permits/","publisher":"City of Langford"},{"id":"sidney-permits","name":"Building permits and inspections","url":"https://www.sidney.ca/business-development/building-permits","publisher":"Town of Sidney"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"SECONDARY","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"normal","confidence":"MEDIUM"},{"id":"check.worksafebc-liability","topic":"process","fact":"Why an uninsured excavator is your problem too","value":"WorkSafeBC states it plainly: if you hire a registered contractor who is not making their required payments, you could be liable for the insurance premiums relating to the work they did for you","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["This matters more on drainage than on most trades, because the work is excavation","A clearance letter is free and takes about a minute to pull"],"sources":[{"id":"worksafebc-clearance","name":"Why do I need a clearance letter?","url":"https://www.worksafebc.com/en/insurance/why-clearance-letter","publisher":"WorkSafeBC"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"check.worksafebc-how","topic":"process","fact":"How to check a contractor's WorkSafeBC standing","value":"Search the firm in WorkSafeBC's public Clearance Letter application; it confirms whether the business is registered and paying its premiums","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["The letter says whether they are paid up; it does not rate the quality of their work","To be absolved of liability the letter must be addressed to you and cover the whole period of the contract"],"sources":[{"id":"worksafebc-clearance-app","name":"Clearance Letter — search any registered firm's clearance status","url":"https://asmtclr.online.worksafebc.com","publisher":"WorkSafeBC"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.which-one-applies","topic":"code","fact":"What decides whether you need dampproofing or waterproofing","value":"The state of the drain: the dampproofing rules apply where drainage is provided in accordance with Section 9.14 over and along the entire below-ground portion of the foundation wall, and the waterproofing rules apply where the assembly is subject to hydrostatic pressure","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["So the honest first question is not which coating to buy, it is whether the drain is doing its job","Hydrostatic pressure means standing water pushing against the wall, not damp"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-13","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.13 — Dampproofing, Waterproofing and Soil Gas Control","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s913","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.dampproof-outside","topic":"code","fact":"Where dampproofing goes","value":"On the outside: exterior dampproofing shall be applied from finished ground level to the top of the exterior of the footing, on a surface that is clean, dry and free of ice, dust, oil, cracks and loose particles","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["Which is the same trench a perimeter drain replacement opens — the reason the two jobs are usually quoted together"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-13","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.13 — Dampproofing, Waterproofing and Soil Gas Control","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s913","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.interior-is-finish-protection","topic":"code","fact":"What the Code asks for on the inside face","value":"Not waterproofing, but protection of the finishes: the interior surface of foundation walls below ground level shall be protected by means that minimize the ingress of moisture into interior spaces where a separate interior finish is applied, or where wood members are placed against the wall","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["The job of the interior measure is to keep moisture out of your drywall and studs, not to keep water out of the building","Nothing in Section 9.13 treats an interior coating as the thing that excludes water"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-13","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.13 — Dampproofing, Waterproofing and Soil Gas Control","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s913","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"code.waterproofing-trigger","topic":"code","fact":"When waterproofing is actually required","value":"Where hydrostatic pressure occurs, waterproofing is required for assemblies separating interior space from the ground, to prevent the ingress of water into building assemblies and interior spaces","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["Every material the Code lists for exterior waterproofing is a membrane or a sheet, not a paint"],"sources":[{"id":"code-9-13","name":"British Columbia Building Code 2018, Division B, Section 9.13 — Dampproofing, Waterproofing and Soil Gas Control","url":"https://free.bcpublications.ca/civix/document/id/public/bcbc2018/bcbc_2018dbp9s913","publisher":"Province of British Columbia (BC Codes)"}],"last_verified":"2026-09-22","recheck_by":"2027-03-22","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"municipal.saanich-backup-process","topic":"municipal","fact":"What Saanich tells a homeowner to do when a drain backs up","value":"Call a plumber to find where the blockage is — and if it turns out to be on municipal property, notify Saanich Public Works immediately and have the plumber stay on site","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"District of Saanich","conditions":["Other municipalities run their own process — this is Saanich's own wording, not a regional rule","The page does not state who is liable, and nothing here should be read as saying the municipality pays"],"sources":[{"id":"saanich-sewer-backup","name":"Sewer and drain backups — what to do and who to call","url":"https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/local-government/claims/sewer-drain-backups.html","publisher":"District of Saanich"}],"last_verified":"2026-10-13","recheck_by":"2027-04-13","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"rebate.rainwater-scope","topic":"rebate","fact":"What the City of Victoria's Rainwater Rewards program pays for","value":"Rebates from $35 to $1,500 on five measures: a rain barrel, a cistern, a rain garden, bioswale or infiltration chamber, permeable pavement, and permeable paving with infiltration or piping","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"City of Victoria","conditions":["Low density residential rebates are for owner-occupied properties","Multi-family, business and institutional properties get the ongoing utility credit but no rebate"],"sources":[{"id":"victoria-rainwater-rewards","name":"Rainwater Rewards Program — rebates and stormwater utility credits","url":"https://www.victoria.ca/home-property/utilities/stormwater-management/rainwater-rewards-program","publisher":"City of Victoria"}],"last_verified":"2026-10-13","recheck_by":"2027-04-13","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"rebate.rainwater-not-drains","topic":"rebate","fact":"Does Rainwater Rewards pay for perimeter drain work?","value":"No — perimeter drains, foundation drains, weeping tile and downspout disconnection are not among the measures the program lists","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"City of Victoria","conditions":["The program is built around holding rain on the lot; a perimeter drain is built around carrying groundwater off it"],"sources":[{"id":"victoria-rainwater-rewards","name":"Rainwater Rewards Program — rebates and stormwater utility credits","url":"https://www.victoria.ca/home-property/utilities/stormwater-management/rainwater-rewards-program","publisher":"City of Victoria"}],"last_verified":"2026-10-13","recheck_by":"2027-04-13","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"rebate.rainwater-utility-credit","topic":"rebate","fact":"The part every house in Victoria already gets","value":"All low density residential properties in the City of Victoria receive a 10 per cent credit off the annual stormwater utility bill","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"City of Victoria","conditions":["This is a credit on a utility bill, not a payment towards work"],"sources":[{"id":"victoria-rainwater-rewards","name":"Rainwater Rewards Program — rebates and stormwater utility credits","url":"https://www.victoria.ca/home-property/utilities/stormwater-management/rainwater-rewards-program","publisher":"City of Victoria"}],"last_verified":"2026-10-13","recheck_by":"2027-04-13","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"},{"id":"rebate.seniors-credit-test","topic":"rebate","fact":"What the BC seniors and disability renovation credit is for","value":"Up to $10,000 of eligible expenses in a tax year, and eligibility turns on improving accessibility — general maintenance does not qualify","location":"Greater Victoria, BC","jurisdiction":"British Columbia","conditions":["The credit rate is not quoted here because the provincial FAQ this fact is drawn from does not state it","A buried pipe that carries groundwater away from a footing does not make a house more accessible, which is the test the credit applies"],"sources":[{"id":"bc-seniors-reno-credit","name":"Home Renovation Tax Credit for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities — frequently asked questions","url":"https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/taxes/income-taxes/personal/credits/seniors-renovation/faqs","publisher":"Province of British Columbia"}],"last_verified":"2026-10-13","recheck_by":"2027-04-13","status":"ACTIVE","kind":"OBSERVED","risk":"high","confidence":"HIGH"}]}