Whereas the Building Act includes a provincial commitment to innovation that supports local governments and other local authorities through the implementation of a provincial review process to evaluate innovative building proposals; And whereas the continued complexity of building design, new products and expansion of the Codes have made it difficult for some communities to provide a level of consistency, interpretation and alternate solution reviews: Therefore be it resolved that the Province outline and explain the review process to accept and evaluate innovative building proposals.
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Government is interested in supporting local authorities to effectively manage the evaluation and implementation of innovative building designs, materials, systems, and construction techniques. A key component of that support is the application process under section 7 of the Building Act which allows local authorities to submit a proposal for a variation from provincial building regulations, such as an innovative building design. Local authorities interested in making an application for a provincial review can visit the Ministrys Local Authority Variations page: https:www2.gov.bc.cagovcontentindustryconstruction-industrybuilding-cod… to review related resources. Particularly, the Guide to Requesting a Local Authority Variation: https:www2.gov.bc.caassetsgovfarming-natural-resources-and-industrycons… which explains the application and review process, along with the application form itself and contact information for any inquiries can be found there. The Ministry will continue to seek opportunities to add to and improve these online resources and profile their availability. Government also continues to pursue and explore partnerships with developers and local authorities to implement innovative solutions. Examples include the Wood Innovation and Design Centre in Prince George and the 18-storey UBC Tall Wood Building in the Lower Mainland, both of which achieved the necessary level of performance outside of the normal scope of the BC Building Code. To allow this and other new characteristics, the Province developed special site-specific building regulations under the Building Act to permit construction.