Effective February 1, the City of Vancouver will be shifting to a fully electronic permit application process and will no longer be accepting paper applications. As part of this change, all Architects AIBC submitting documents for permit in Vancouver will require a Notarius digital seal.
The City of Vancouver is not alone in this transition, as many municipalities throughout the province are also only accepting electronic permit applications. The shift towards exclusively electronic permit applications is part of the City’s permitting improvement program which is transforming processes to prioritize a customer-focused experience.
Digital Seal Overview
There are several advantages of digital sealing, including remote signing, batch seal drawings, and guaranteed integrity. The entire process of obtaining a digital seal is done online, over the course of four steps. Additional detail about obtaining a seal can be found on the Notarius website. In addition, every Wednesday, Notarius hosts a webinar to teach individuals the basics of digital sealing and how to use ConsignO Desktop application to sign and seal documents. Learn more and register for the Webinar.
Regulatory Sealing Requirements
Sealing requirements for Architects AIBC are now outlined in Professional Standard 8.0 of Schedule A: Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, found in the AIBC Bylaws. The digital seal is covered under Professional Standard 8.5. If you have any questions about regulatory sealing requirements, please email practiceadvice@aibc.ca.