Vancouver City Council has approved in principle recommended changes for Zoning and Development By-law Amendments to simplify Green Building Regulations. The changes are expected to come into effect on March 15, 2023.
A report underwent public hearing on February 14, 2023, which recommended simplifying some green building requirements in Vancouver. Specifically, the report proposed Zoning and Development By-law and policy amendments to remove green building requirements that were made redundant by changes to the Building By-law approved in May 2022. Amendments were proposed to the C-2, C-2B, C-2C, and C-2C1 district schedules, the Secured Rental Policy and the C-2, C-2B, C-2C, and C-2C1 Guidelines for Residential Rental Tenure Buildings. The proposed changes are intended to create alignment between the Vancouver Building By-law and the Zoning and Development By-law.
Architects who apply for a Development Permit after March 15 under the zoning regulations and policy noted in the report will no longer have to meet the energy or emissions limits in those regulations and policy, and may refer instead to the VBBL limits that come into effect for Building Permit applications made on or after July 1.
More detail is available on the City of Vancouver Public Hearing webpage, under “2. Zoning and Development By-law Amendments to Simplify Green Building Regulations.”