Development charges & levies — Vancouver, British Columbia

What development charges or levies apply to new construction? How much per new home?

In the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, development charges & levies rules are set by Area Specific Development Cost Levy By-law No. 9418 (consolidated to July 22, 2025) and 2 other bylaws, verified 2026-10-26. Non-residential charge: General floor area: False Creek Flats $80.31/m²; South East False Creek $248.30/m²; industrial: $39.66/m² (South East False Creek). Exemptions: For-profit affordable rental housing waiver/reduction (class A 100%, class B 86.24%); $0 levies for specified uses; no levy for micro dwellings ≤29.7 m². Services covered: Highway facilities; park land; day care facilities; replacement housing; sewage, water, drainage facilities.

Area Specific Development Cost Levy By-law No. 9418 (consolidated to July 22, 2025) adopted bylaw
non residential charge General floor area: False Creek Flats $80.31/m²; South East False Creek $248.30/m²; industrial: $39.66/m² (South East False Creek) ss. 3.7, 3.10, 3.10(a)
services covered Highway facilities; park land; day care facilities; replacement housing; sewage, water, drainage facilities. ss. 2.3–2.12
exemptions For-profit affordable rental housing waiver/reduction (class A 100%, class B 86.24%); $0 levies for specified uses; no levy for micro dwellings ≤29.7 m². ss. 3.1A, 3.1C, 3.2–3.11, 3.17
payment timing Levy payable prior to issuance of first building permit if staged; if total >$500,000, payer may elect installments: 1/3 at full construction permit, 1/3 within 1 year, remainder within 2 years; no levy may remain at occupancy. ss. 3.15, 3.20–3.23
scout note

Layered area-specific DCLs for designated districts, on top of the city-wide and Utilities DCLs.

Vancouver Development Cost Levy By-law No. 9755 (consolidated to July 22, 2025) adopted bylaw
non residential charge $107.44 per m² (Industrial I-2, M-1, M-1A, M-1B, M-2, MC-1, MC-2); $201.33 per m² (Mixed Employment Light Industrial IC-1, IC-2, IC-3, I-1, I-3, I-4, I-1A, I-1B); $268.61 (Commercial & Other) (effective September 30, 2025) Schedule "C"
services covered highway facilities, replacement housing, childcare, and providing and improving parkland s. 2.2
exemptions For-profit affordable rental housing waiver/reduction (Class B 86.24%); no levy for micro dwellings no more than 29.7 m²; alteration/extension levy only on additional floor area ss. 3.1A, 3.4, 3.8; Schedule "C"
payment timing Payable on entitlement to delivery of building permit; if staged, prior to first building permit; if total > $500,000, elect installments: 1/3 at full construction stage permit, 1/3 within 1 year, remainder within 2 years; no levy may remain payable at occupancy ss. 3.1, 3.6, 3.12–3.15
scout note

City-wide DCL, effective Sept 30, 2025: $62.35/m2 residential at or below 1.2 FSR and laneway house; $134.17/m2 above 1.2 to 1.5 FSR; $268.61/m2 above 1.5 FSR; commercial $268.61/m2; industrial $107.44/m2. Waivers for for-profit affordable rental.

Vancouver Utilities Development Cost Levy By-law No. 12183 (consolidated to July 22, 2025) adopted bylaw
non residential charge Industrial (I-2, M-1, M-1A, M-1B, M-2, MC-1, MC-2 Zoning Districts) $33.64 per m2; Mixed Employment (Light Industrial) (IC-1, IC-2, IC-3, I-1, I-3, I-4, I-1A, I-1B Zoning Districts) $63.09 per m2; Commercial & Other $84.16 per m2; School use $5.49 per m2 (effective September 30, 2025) Schedule "C"
services covered sewage, water, drainage facilities s. 2.2
exemptions No levy for micro dwelling units no more than 29.7 m2; alteration/extension levy applies only to additional floor area. s. 3.9; s. 3.5
payment timing Payable on entitlement to building permit; if permit issued in stages, prior to first building permit; if total levies exceed $500,000, payer may elect installments: 1/3 at full construction stage permit, 1/3 within one year, remainder within 2 years; no levy may remain payable at occupancy. s. 3.1; s. 3.7; s. 3.13; s. 3.14; s. 3.16
scout note

Utilities DCL for water, sewer and drainage in Utilities DCL districts, charged in addition to the city-wide DCL.

Machine-readable: development-charges.json · Official website: https://vancouver.ca/ · Last verified 2026-10-26 · Development charges & levies across British Columbia · Development charges & levies in other municipalities