Issued building permits

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Building permits are required for new buildings, additions or alterations to existing buildings, and for demolitions or salvage and abatement work.

As permit application processing is a collaboration between the customer / applicant and the City, this dataset has been updated with the elapsed time from the date at which an application generated a permit number to when the permit was first issued. Specifically, the fields PermitNumberCreatedDate and PermitElapsedDays (includes weekends and holidays) are available in all views as well as through data exports and API access. In addition to existing fields that allow this data to be grouped (PropertyUse, TypeofWork, SpecificUseCategory) we have created a new group field, PermitCategory, that focuses on higher volume, lower complexity project scopes.

This dataset includes information of all building permits issued by the City of Vancouver, starting in 2017. The data is based on permit issuance date and does not show current status of a permit or changes after a permit is originally issued.

Data currency

The extract for the current year is updated daily but the extract for prior year is static.

Data accuracy

There may be addresses that do not return coordinates through the geocoding process (using BC Address Geocoder API). These Issued Building Permits do not appear on the Map. Please consult the Table view for a complete list of Issued building permits

There may be some loss of quality from data entry errors and omissions, in particular where the original application date was prior to May 2016 (when permit software changed).

Websites for further information

Dataset Identifier

issued-building-permits

Downloads

19,882

Themes

Property and development

License

Open Government Licence - Vancouver

Modified

March 26, 2025 1:51 PM

Publisher

City of Vancouver

Data Owner

City of Vancouver

Data Team

Development, Buildings, and Licensing

Search Terms

construction, deconstruction, demolition, development

Change Log

https://opendata.vancouver.ca/explore/dataset/open-data-change-log/log/?disjunctive.datasets&sort=logdate&refine.datasetids=issued-building-permits

By subscribing to this dataset, you can receive email notifications from the dataset's publisher if important changes happen.

Last processing

March 26, 2025 1:51 PM (metadata)

March 26, 2025 1:51 PM (data)

DCAT

Attachments

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Dataset schema

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PermitNumber

Unique permit number generated at application date; there may be multiple permits for one project site
BU - Original Permit application was made in previous software
BP - Building Permit
DB - Combined Development & Building Permit

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	permitnumber
Type	text
Sample	BP-2016-04085

PermitNumberCreatedDate

The date at which a permit application, created by staff or an online process, receives a permit number

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	permitnumbercreateddate
Type	date
Sample	2016-12-01

IssueDate

Date when the specified permit was first issued

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	issuedate
Type	date
Sample	2017-03-10

PermitElapsedDays

Measures the number of days from the creation and assignment of a permit number until the issuance of a permit.  Application processing represents a collaboration between the applicant/customer team and the City.  Timelines may be influenced by a number of factors, some of which include: the volume of instream applications to be processed, completeness of the application, site and project specific requirements impacting application requirements (number of reviews, conditions, design decisions, etc.), staff and customer response times.

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	permitelapseddays
Type	integer
Sample	99

ProjectValue

Estimated construction value at time of original permit issuance; base permit fees are calculated on this value. For commercial and mixed use projects with multiple buildings on one site, the project value may be entered only on the site permit (and not the permits for each individual building where a $0 value will be shown)

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	projectvalue
Type	decimal
Unit	$
Sample	80000

TypeOfWork

Categories Include: Addition / Alteration, Demolition / Deconstruction, New Buildings, Outdoor Uses (No Buildings Proposed), Salvage and Abatement, Temporary Buildings / Structures

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	typeofwork
Type	text
Sample	Addition / Alteration

Address

Specific Property Address

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	address
Type	text
Sample	6126 FRASER STREET, Vancouver, BC V5W 3A1

ProjectDescription

Scope of work (note: data file prior to 2018 does not include this field)

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	projectdescription
Type	text
Sample	Field Review - Addition / Alteration - Exterior and interior alterations to provide repair to the residential portion of this existing commercial/residential building. Work to include new exterior guard rails, new sinks and counter top in some units and new electrical panel and replace windows at the rear elevation. OK for field review as per A Cashato, Dec 01, 2016 OK for BU only as per Marie Linehan, Dec 01, 2016 Note Exterior finishes to match existing. L1 - BEnv - Install weather stripping on all doors and windows

Name (identifier)

projectdescription

Type

text

Sample

Field Review - Addition / Alteration - Exterior and interior alterations to provide repair to the residential portion of this existing commercial/residential building. Work to include new exterior guard rails, new sinks and counter top in some units and new electrical panel and replace windows at the rear elevation.

OK for field review as per A Cashato, Dec 01, 2016

OK for BU only as per Marie Linehan, Dec 01, 2016

Note Exterior finishes to match existing.

L1 - BEnv - Install weather stripping on all doors and windows

PermitCategory

A high level grouping providing a focus on higher volume, lower complexity project scopes. The categorization is derived from data in the TypeofWork, PropertyUse and ProjectDescription fields. This field was added in December 2021 and will be modified to take into account feedback from dataset users

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	permitcategory
Type	text
Sample	Renovation - Residential - Lower Complexity

Applicant

Applicant may be property owner or official agent for owner and is often the design professional or their firm

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	applicant
Type	text
Sample	Kenneth King DBA: Kenneth E. King Architecture & Planning

ApplicantAddress

Contact information as provided on Permit Application

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	applicantaddress
Type	text
Sample	1931 Holdom Avenue Burnaby, BC V5B 3W4

PropertyUse

General use of property; where there is more than one, they are separated by a comma

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	propertyuse
Type	text
Sample	Dwelling Uses

SpecificUseCategory

Category of property use; where there is more than one, they are separated by a comma

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	specificusecategory
Type	text
Sample	Multiple Dwelling

BuildingContractor

Contractor information, if known, at time of permit issuance

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	buildingcontractor
Type	text
Sample

BuildingContractorAddress

Contractor information, as provided by applicant

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	buildingcontractoraddress
Type	text
Sample

IssueYear

Year which permit was first issued

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	issueyear
Type	text
Sample	2017

GeoLocalArea

The local area where the building with the Issued Building Permit is found, derived from the building's coordinates or address. The City of Vancouver has 22 local areas (also known as local planning areas). For more details, please see the Local Area Boundary data set.

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	geolocalarea
Type	text
Sample	Sunset

Geom

These are mapping coordinates for the building corresponding to a Building Permit. Data from the Address attribute are processed by the BC Address Geocoder API. An unmatched address returns null coordinates and will not display on the Map. The permit will still be listed in the Table view.

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	geom
Type	geo shape
Sample	{"coordinates":[-123.090258,49.2288655],"type":"Point"}

YearMonth

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	yearmonth
Type	text
Sample	2017-03

geo_point_2d

No description available for this field.

Name (identifier)	geo_point_2d
Type	geo point
Sample	[49.2288655,-123.090258]

JSON Schema

The following JSON object is a standardized description of your dataset's schema. More about JSON schema.

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    "permitnumber":
    {
    "type":"string",
    "title":"PermitNumber",
    "description":"Unique permit number generated at application date; there may be multiple permits for one project site BU - Original Permit application was made in previous software BP - Building Permit DB - Combined Development & Building Permit"
    }
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    "description":"The date at which a permit application, created by staff or an online process, receives a permit number"
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    "description":"Date when the specified permit was first issued"
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    "title":"PermitElapsedDays",
    "description":"Measures the number of days from the creation and assignment of a permit number until the issuance of a permit. Application processing represents a collaboration between the applicant/customer team and the City. Timelines may be influenced by a number of factors, some of which include: the volume of instream applications to be processed, completeness of the application, site and project specific requirements impacting application requirements (number of reviews, conditions, design decisions, etc.), staff and customer response times."
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    "title":"ProjectValue",
    "description":"Estimated construction value at time of original permit issuance; base permit fees are calculated on this value. For commercial and mixed use projects with multiple buildings on one site, the project value may be entered only on the site permit (and not the permits for each individual building where a $0 value will be shown)",
    "unit":"$"
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    "description":"Categories Include: Addition / Alteration, Demolition / Deconstruction, New Buildings, Outdoor Uses (No Buildings Proposed), Salvage and Abatement, Temporary Buildings / Structures"
    }
    ,
    "address":
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    "title":"Address",
    "description":"Specific Property Address"
    }
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    "title":"ProjectDescription",
    "description":"Scope of work (note: data file prior to 2018 does not include this field)"
    }
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    "title":"PermitCategory",
    "description":"A high level grouping providing a focus on higher volume, lower complexity project scopes. The categorization is derived from data in the TypeofWork, PropertyUse and ProjectDescription fields. This field was added in December 2021 and will be modified to take into account feedback from dataset users"
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    "title":"Applicant",
    "description":"Applicant may be property owner or official agent for owner and is often the design professional or their firm"
    }
    ,
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    "type":"string",
    "title":"ApplicantAddress",
    "description":"Contact information as provided on Permit Application"
    }
    ,
    "propertyuse":
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    "type":"string",
    "title":"PropertyUse",
    "description":"General use of property; where there is more than one, they are separated by a comma"
    }
    ,
    "specificusecategory":
    {
    "type":"string",
    "title":"SpecificUseCategory",
    "description":"Category of property use; where there is more than one, they are separated by a comma "
    }
    ,
    "buildingcontractor":
    {
    "type":"string",
    "title":"BuildingContractor",
    "description":"Contractor information, if known, at time of permit issuance"
    }
    ,
    "buildingcontractoraddress":
    {
    "type":"string",
    "title":"BuildingContractorAddress",
    "description":"Contractor information, as provided by applicant"
    }
    ,
    "issueyear":
    {
    "type":"string",
    "title":"IssueYear",
    "description":"Year which permit was first issued"
    }
    ,
    "geolocalarea":
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    "type":"string",
    "title":"GeoLocalArea",
    "description":"The local area where the building with the Issued Building Permit is found, derived from the building's coordinates or address. The City of Vancouver has 22 local areas (also known as local planning areas). For more details, please see the Local Area Boundary data set."
    }
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    }
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    "description":""
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    }
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    "description":""
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  }
}

}

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