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CONSOLIDATED TO: December 2, 2025
City of Chilliwack
Bylaw No. 5347
A bylaw to enter into an Inter-municipal Business Licence Scheme
________________________________________________
WHEREAS Fraser Valley municipalities wish to enter into an agreement with one another to
permit certain categories of Businesses to operate across municipal jurisdictions within the Fraser
Valley region while minimizing the need to obtain a separate Municipal Business Licence in each
jurisdiction;
AND WHEREAS each of the undersigned local governments (herein called singularly the
Participating Municipality or as a group the "Participating Municipalities") has adopted this
Bylaw;
NOW THEREFORE the Council of the City of Chilliwack in open meeting assembled, enacts as
follows:
1.
There is hereby established an Inter-municipal Business Licence Scheme, pursuant to
Section 14 of the Community Charter and according to the terms and conditions of this
Bylaw.
2.
This Bylaw may be cited for all purposes as "Inter-municipal Business Licence Bylaw
2023, No. 5347".
REPEAL
3.
"Inter-municipal Business Licence Bylaw 2012, No. 3894" and amendments thereto are
hereby repealed.
INTERPRETATION
4.
In this Bylaw:
"Business" has the meaning as defined by the Community Charter;
"Community Charter" means the Community Charter, S.BC. 2003, c.26;
"Mobile Business" means a trades contractor or other professional related to the
construction industry or a contactor that performs maintenance and/or repair of
land and buildings or a health care professional or a health care service provider
who only provides services by visiting clients in their homes from other than their
Premises;
"Inter-municipal" means a business licence which authorizes a "Mobile Business Licence"
Business to be carried on within the jurisdictional boundaries of any or all of the
Participating Municipalities in accordance with this Bylaw and will be in addition
to a Municipal Business Licence;
"Inter-municipal Business Licence Bylaw 2023, No. 5347"
CONSOLIDATED TO: December 2, 2025
"Municipal Business Licence" means a licence or permit, other than an Inter-municipal
Business Licence, issued by a Participating Municipality that authorizes a Business
to be carried on within the jurisdictional boundaries of that Participating
Municipality;
"Participating Municipality" means those of the following municipalities that have adopted
this Bylaw:
City of Abbotsford
Township of Langley
City of Chilliwack
City of Maple Ridge
City of Delta
City of Mission
District of Hope
City of Pitt Meadows
District of Kent
City of Surrey
City of Langley
Village of Harrison Hot Springs
"Person" has the meaning as defined by the Interpretation Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 238;
"Premises" means a fixed or permanent location where the Person ordinarily carries on
Business; and,
"Principal Municipality" means the Participating Municipality where a Business is
located or has a Premises.
5.
Subject to the provisions of the Inter-municipal Business Licence Bylaw, the Participating
Municipalities will permit a Person who has obtained an Inter-municipal Business Licence
to carry on Business within any Participating Municipality for the term authorized by the
Inter-municipal Business Licence without obtaining a Municipal Business Licence in the
other Participating Municipalities.
6.
A Principal Municipality may issue an Inter-municipal Business Licence to an applicant
for an Inter-municipal Business Licence provided the applicant is a Mobile Business and
meets the requirements of this Bylaw in addition to the requirements of the Municipal
Business Licence Bylaw of the Principal Municipality.
7.
Notwithstanding that a Person may hold an Inter-municipal Business Licence that would
make it unnecessary to obtain a Municipal Business Licence in other Participating
Municipalities, the Person must still comply with all other regulations of any Municipal
Business Licence Bylaw or regulation, in addition to any other bylaws that may apply
within any jurisdiction in which the Person carries on Business.
8.
A Person that operates a Mobile Business may only apply for an Inter-municipal Business
Licence from the Participating Municipality in which they maintain a Premises.
9.
Neither this Bylaw nor the issuance of an Inter-municipal Business Licence eliminates a
requirement of a holder of an Inter-municipal Business Licence to obtain a Municipal
Business Licence for each Premises that is maintained within the jurisdiction of the
"Inter-municipal Business Licence Bylaw 2023, No. 5347"
CONSOLIDATED TO: December 2, 2025
Participating Municipality.
10.
The Inter-municipal Business Licence fee is $250.00 and is payable to the Principal
Municipality. The Inter-municipal Business Licence fee is separate and additional to any
Municipal Business Licence fee that may be required.
11.
Notwithstanding that some Participating Municipalities pro-rate their Municipal Business
Licence fee, the Inter-municipal Business Licence fee must not be pro-rated.
12.
The revenue generated from Inter-municipal Business Licence fees is shared amongst all
Participating Municipalities using the revenue sharing formula referred to in Schedule "A"
of this Bylaw.
13.
The Participating Municipalities agree that the revenue-sharing formula will be reviewed
from time to time, and will be altered as necessary upon agreement of all Participating
Municipalities.
14.
The revenue generated from Inter-municipal Business Licence fees collected by the
Participating Municipalities will be distributed by each Participating Municipality to the
other Participating Municipalities as follows:
(a)
The revenue generated from Inter-municipal Business Licence fees collected from
January 1 to December 31, inclusive, will be distributed by February 28 of the year
following the year in which the fees were collected.
15.
The term of the Inter-municipal Business Licence is the same as the term for the Municipal
Business Licence issued by the Principal Municipality for that Business category.
16.
An Inter-municipal Business Licence issued within the 12-month term of the Inter-
municipal Business Licence Scheme established by this Bylaw shall, until its term expires,
remain valid within the jurisdictional boundaries of any or all of the Participating
Municipalities.
17.
Each Participating Municipality shall provide the other Participating Municipalities with
information regarding the Inter-municipal Business Licences that it issues by way of
regular updates on a shared database that is available to all Participating Municipalities.
18.
A Participating Municipality may exercise the authority of the Principal Municipality and
suspend an Inter-municipal Business Licence in relation to conduct by the holder within
the Participating Municipality which would give rise to the power to suspend a business
licence under the Community Charter or the Municipal Business Licence Bylaw or
regulation of the Participating Municipality. The suspension shall be in effect throughout
all of the Participating Municipalities and it shall be unlawful for the holder to carry on the
Business authorized by the Inter-municipal Business Licence in any Participating
Municipality for the period of the suspension.
"Inter-municipal Business Licence Bylaw 2023, No. 5347"
CONSOLIDATED TO: December 2, 2025
19.
If the Council of a Participating Municipality is of the opinion that reasonable cause exists
to cancel an Inter-municipal Business Licence issued by another of the Participating
Municipalities, then it may by resolution reciting the details of such reasonable cause
request the Principal Municipality that issued the licence to consider whether or not the
licence should be cancelled pursuant to Section 15 or Section 60(2) of the Community
Charter.
20.
Any resolution made under Section 19 of this Bylaw shall be communicated in writing to
the Principal Municipality that issued the Inter-municipal Business Licence, together with
such documentary evidence of the reasonable cause as may be available, and such Principal
Municipality shall as soon thereafter as reasonably possible consider whether the Inter-
municipal Business Licence should be cancelled.
21.
In making any decision as to whether to cancel an Inter-municipal Business Licence under
Section 19 of this Bylaw or Section 15 or Section 60(2) of the Community Charter, the
Principal Municipality shall approach the matter as if the conduct complained of had
occurred within its own jurisdictional boundaries.
22.
The Principal Municipality will retain the authority to hear related reconsiderations or
appeals of suspensions and cancellations of Inter-municipal Business Licences.
23.
Nothing in this Bylaw affects the authority of a Participating Municipality to suspend or
cancel any business licence issued by that municipality or to enact regulations in respect of
any category of Business under Section 15 of the Community Charter.
24.
The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Bylaw shall not affect the
validity or enforceability of any other provisions of this Bylaw and any such invalid or
unenforceable provision shall be deemed to be severable.
25.
In the event of an inconsistency between this Bylaw and any other bylaw relating to
business licensing of a Participating Municipality, the provisions of this Bylaw shall take
precedence.
26.
This Bylaw shall come into force and take effect on the 1st day of January, 2024.
"Inter-municipal Business Licence Bylaw 2023, No. 5347"
CONSOLIDATED TO: December 2, 2025
Received first and second reading on the 10th day of October, 2023.
Received third reading on the 10th day of October, 2023.
Received adoption on the 24th day of October, 2023.
Amendment Bylaw No. 5521 adopted on the 2nd day of December, 2025.
"Ken Popove"
Mayor
"Jacqueline Morgan"
Corporate Officer
"Inter-municipal Business Licence Bylaw 2023, No. 5347" - Schedule "A"
CONSOLIDATED TO: December 2, 2025
Schedule "A"
The revenue generated from Inter-municipal Business Licence fees is shared on the following
formula:
1. The Principal Municipality is to retain 90% of the fee collected and the remaining 10% is
to be distributed to the remainder of the Participating Municipalities.
"Inter-municipal Business Licence Bylaw 2023, No. 5347" - Schedule "B"
CONSOLIDATED TO: December 2, 2025
Schedule "B"
INTER-MUNICIPAL BUSINESS LICENCE AGREEMENT
WHEREAS the City of Abbotsford, the City of Chilliwack, the City of Delta, the Village of
Harrison Hot Springs, the District of Hope, the District of Kent, the City of Langley, the Township
of Langley, the City of Maple Ridge, the City of Mission, the City of Pitt Meadows, and the City
of Surrey (hereinafter the "Participating Municipalities") wish to permit certain categories of
Businesses to operate across their jurisdictional boundaries while minimizing the need to obtain a
separate Municipal Business Licence in each jurisdiction;
NOW THEREFORE the City of Abbotsford, the City of Chilliwack, the City of Delta, the Village
of Harrison Hot Springs, the District of Hope, the District of Kent, the City of Langley, the
Township of Langley, the City of Maple Ridge, the City of Mission, the City of Pitt Meadows, and
the City of Surrey agree as follows:
1.
The Participating Municipalities agree to establish an Inter-municipal Business Licence
scheme among the Participating Municipalities.
2.
The term of this Agreement and the Inter-municipal Business Licence scheme will be
permanent, unless terminated as provided for in this Agreement.
3.
In this Agreement:
"Business" has the meaning in the Community Charter;
"Community Charter" means the Community Charter, S.B.C. 2003, c. 26;
"Inter-municipal Business" means a trades contractor or other professional related to the
construction industry or a contactor that performs maintenance and/or repair of land
and buildings, or a health care professional or a health care service provider who
only provides services by visiting clients in their homes from outside of the
Participating Municipalities in which the Premises are located;
"Inter-municipal Business Licence" means a business licence which authorizes an
Inter-municipal Business to be carried on within the jurisdictional boundaries of any
or all of the Participating Municipalities;
"Inter-municipal Business Licence Bylaw" means the bylaw previously adopted by the
Council of each Participating Municipality to implement the Inter-municipal
Business Licence scheme contemplated by this Agreement;
"Municipal Business Licence" means a licence or permit, other than an Inter-municipal
Business Licence, issued by a Participating Municipality that authorizes a Business
"Inter-municipal Business Licence Bylaw 2023, No. 5347" - Schedule "B"
CONSOLIDATED TO: December 2, 2025
to be carried on within the jurisdictional boundaries of that Participating
Municipality;
"Participating Municipality" means any one of the "Participating Municipalities";
"Person" has the meaning in the Interpretation Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 238;
"Premises" means one or more fixed or permanent locations where the Person ordinarily
carries on Business;
"Principal Municipality" means the Participating Municipality where a Business is located
or has Premises; and,
"Singular vs. Plural" means reference to the singular includes a reference to the plural and
vice versa, unless otherwise specified or the context requires.
4.
Subject to the provisions of the Inter-municipal Business Licence Bylaw, the Participating
Municipalities will permit a Person who has obtained an Inter-municipal Business Licence
to carry on Business within any Participating Municipality for the term authorized by the
Inter-municipal Business Licence without obtaining a Municipal Business Licence in the
other Participating Municipalities.
5.
A Principal Municipality may issue an Inter-municipal Business Licence to an applicant if
the applicant is an Inter-municipal Business and meets the requirements of the Inter-
municipal Business Licence Bylaw, in addition to the requirements of the Principal
Municipality's bylaw that applies to a Municipal Business Licence.
6.
Notwithstanding that a Person may hold an Intermunicipal Business Licence that would
make it unnecessary to obtain a Municipal Business Licence in other Participating
Municipalities, the Person must still comply with all other regulations of any municipal
business licence bylaw or regulation in addition to any other bylaws that may apply within
any jurisdiction in which the Person carries on Business.
7.
An Inter-municipal Business Licence must be issued by the Participating Municipality in
which the applicant maintains Premises.
8.
The Participating Municipalities will require that the holder of an Inter-municipal Business
Licence also obtain a Municipal Business Licence for Premises that are maintained by the
licence holder within the jurisdiction of the Participating Municipality.
9.
The Inter-municipal Business Licence fee is $250 and is payable to the Principal
Municipality.
10.
The Inter-municipal Business Licence fee is separate from and in addition to any Municipal
Business Licence fee that may be required by a Participating Municipality.
11.
Despite paragraph 10, the Inter-municipal Business Licence fee will not be pro-rated.
"Inter-municipal Business Licence Bylaw 2023, No. 5347" - Schedule "B"
CONSOLIDATED TO: December 2, 2025
12.
The Participating Municipalities will distribute revenue generated from Inter-municipal
Business Licence fees amongst all Participating Municipalities based on the revenue sharing
formula referred to in Schedule 1 to this Agreement.
13.
The Participating Municipalities will review the Inter-municipal Business Licence scheme
and the revenue sharing formula established by this Agreement from time to time and may
alter the formula in Schedule 1 by written agreement of all Participating Municipalities.
14.
The revenue generated from Inter-municipal Business Licence fees collected by the
Participating Municipalities will be distributed by each Participating Municipality to the
other Participating Municipalities as follows:
(a)
The revenue generated from Inter-municipal Business Licence fees collected from
January 1 to December 31, inclusive, will be distributed by February 28 of the year
following the year in which the fees were collected.
15.
The Inter-municipal Business Licence is set as a permanent bylaw.
16.
An Inter-municipal Business Licence will be valid within the jurisdictional boundaries of
all of the Participating Municipalities, unless the Inter-municipal Business Licence is
suspended or cancelled in accordance with the Inter-municipal Business Bylaw or a
Participating Municipality withdraws from the Inter-municipal Business Licence scheme
among the Participating Municipalities in accordance with the Inter-municipal Business
Licence Bylaw.
17.
Each Participating Municipality will share a database of Inter-municipal Business Licences,
which will be available for the use of all Participating Municipalities.
18.
Each Participating Municipality which issues an Inter-municipal Business Licence will
promptly update the shared database after the issuance of that licence.
19.
A Participating Municipality may exercise the authority of the Principal Municipality and
suspend an Inter-municipal Business Licence in relation to conduct by the holder within the
Participating Municipality which would give rise to the power to suspend a business licence
under the Community Charter or under the business licence bylaw of the Participating
Municipality. The suspension will be in effect throughout all of the Participating
Municipalities and it will be unlawful for the holder to carry on the Business authorized by
the Inter-municipal Business Licence in any Participating Municipality for the period of the
suspension.
20.
A Participating Municipality may exercise the authority of the Principal Municipality and
cancel an Inter-municipal Business Licence in relation to conduct by the holder within the
Participating Municipality which would give rise to the power to cancel a business licence
under the Community Charter or the business licence bylaw of the Participating
Municipality. The cancellation will be in effect throughout all of the Participating
Municipalities.
"Inter-municipal Business Licence Bylaw 2023, No. 5347" - Schedule "B"
CONSOLIDATED TO: December 2, 2025
21.
The suspension and cancellation of an Inter-municipal Business Licence under section 19
and 20 will not affect the authority of a Participating Municipality to issue a business
licence, other than an Inter-municipal Business Licence, to the holder of the cancelled Inter-
municipal Business Licence.
22.
Nothing in this Agreement affects the authority of a Participating Municipality to suspend
or cancel any business licence issued by that municipality or to enact regulations in respect
of any category of Business under section 15 of the Community Charter except as provided
for in this Agreement.
23.
A Participating Municipality may, by notice in writing to each of the other Participating
Municipalities, withdraw from the Inter-municipal Business Licence scheme among the
Participating Municipalities, and the notice must:
(a) set out the date on which the withdrawing municipality will no longer recognize the
validity within its boundaries of Inter-municipal Business Licences, which date must be
at least six months from the date of the notice; and,
(b) include a certified copy of the municipal Council resolution or bylaw authorizing the
municipality's withdrawal from the Inter-municipal Business Licence scheme.
24.
Nothing contained or implied in this Agreement shall fetter in any way the discretion of the
Council of the Participating Municipalities. Further, nothing contained or implied in this
Agreement shall prejudice or affect the Participating Municipalities' rights, powers, duties
or obligation in the exercise of its functions pursuant to the Community Charter or the Local
Government Act, as amended or replaced from time to time, or act to fetter or otherwise
affect the Participating Municipalities' discretion, and the rights, powers, duties and
obligations under all public and private statutes, bylaws, orders and regulations, which may
be, if each Participating Municipality so elects, as fully and effectively exercised as if this
Agreement had not been executed and delivered by the Participating Municipalities.
25.
This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to
be an original. Such counterparts together shall constitute one and the same instrument,
notwithstanding that all of the Participating Municipalities are not signatories to the original
or the same counterpart.
"Inter-municipal Business Licence Bylaw 2023, No. 5347" - Schedule "B"
CONSOLIDATED TO: December 2, 2025
SIGNED AND DELIVERED on behalf of the Participating Municipalities, the Councils of each
of which has, by bylaw, ratified this Agreement and authorized their signatories to sign on behalf
of the respective Councils, on the dates indicated below.
CITY OF ABBOTSFORD
_____________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Date
CITY OF CHILLIWACK
_____________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Date
CITY OF DELTA
______________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Date
"Inter-municipal Business Licence Bylaw 2023, No. 5347" - Schedule "B"
CONSOLIDATED TO: December 2, 2025
VILLAGE OF HARRISON HOT SPRINGS
______________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Date
DISTRICT OF HOPE
______________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Date
DISTRICT OF KENT
_______________________________
Signature
_______________________________
Signature
________________________________
Date
"Inter-municipal Business Licence Bylaw 2023, No. 5347" - Schedule "B"
CONSOLIDATED TO: December 2, 2025
CITY OF LANGLEY
______________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Date
TOWNSHIP OF LANGLEY
_______________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Date
CITY OF MAPLE RIDGE
_______________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Date
"Inter-municipal Business Licence Bylaw 2023, No. 5347" - Schedule "B"
CONSOLIDATED TO: December 2, 2025
CITY OF MISSION
_______________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Date
CITY OF PITT MEADOWS
_______________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Date
CITY OF SURREY
_______________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Signature
_____________________________
Date
"Inter-municipal Business Licence Bylaw 2023, No. 5347" - Schedule "B"
CONSOLIDATED TO: December 2, 2025
Schedule 1
The revenue generated from Inter-municipal Business Licence fees is shared on the following
formula:
(a) The Principal Municipality is to retain 90% of the fee collected and the remaining 10% is
to be distributed to the remainder of the Participating Municipalities.