Licences and Permits
About
The District uses a variety of permits and licences to ensure land is used in accordance with the Zoning Bylaw and Official Community Plan, while also providing a degree of flexibility to accomodate specific considerations on different properties.
Here you can find general information about different licences and permits, including submission requirements and what to expect during the review process. Learn about business licences, development permits, development variance permits, sign permits, and temporary use permits.
This page is not for zoning, building permit, or subdivision applications. If you need help with those matters, please visit the appropriate page or contact the District for direction before applying.
Licence & Permit Information
If you are operating a business in the District of Houston, regardless of your business’s “home” location, you are required to obtain a business licence. Business Licensing supports the District’s economic development, fire safety, and community development services.
By obtaining a business licence:
- The District is able to share information about your business with the Chamber of Commerce, contractors, major project investors, and other interested persons;
- Fire inspections that are required under provincial legislation can be scheduled in advance and support safe business operations; and
- You are supporting our efforts to enhance local economic and tourism opportunities.
If you operate certain types of businesses, you will be required to provide additional documentation. For example:
- Mobile Vendor: A new mobile vendor will require Comprehensive Liability Insurance and Property Damage Insurance with coverage of at least $2 million inclusive if operating on District of Houston property listed in Schedule A of the Business Licence Bylaw. If preparing or serving food, a Mobile Vendor will also require a Health Permit and a Bulkley Valley Mobile Food Vendor Inspection.
- Personal Services: A new personal service facility (e.g. salons, spas, esthetics, tattoo shops, etc.) will require a Personal Service Permit. Please contact Northern Health for more information and confirmation of requirements.
NOTE: A Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) does not require a Personal Service Permit. - New Cannabis or Liquor Establishment: New cannabis or liquor businesses must submit all required provincial approvals and licences as part of their application package.
- Artisan Food Production: A Health Permit is required for most home-based kitchens. Please contact Northern Health for more information and confirmation of requirements.
- Business Operating from a Building: Any business operating from a building must demonstrate that the Zoning is permitted for the proposed use and must provide a Fire Inspection Report if one has not been completed within the last six months.
The District’s Business Licence Inspector has authority to approve, suspend, cancel, impose conditions on, and refuse business licences. Providing all relevant information up front ensures that the approvals process is quick and painless.
Visit the Building Permits & Inspections page for more information.
A Development Permit is required for any proposed development or renovation inside one of four designated development permit areas:
- Downtown
- Highway Corridor
- Multifamily Residential
- Wildfire Interface
Each development permit area has additional regulations that support the maintenance of unique characteristics of the community, support revitalization efforts, or assist with hazard mitigation. A Development Permit must also be approved before a building permit can be issued for any development.
Additionally, variances from requirements under District bylaws can be requested as part of a development permit application, except for variances from use and density restrictions. Requested variances can include setback, siting, screening, landscaping, on-site parking, or development servicing requirements.
If you are considering developing land inside one of these areas, please contact our Community Development staff to arrange a pre-application meeting. This will help ensure your proposed development aligns well with development permit area regulations, and that any obstacles can be addressed early on.
The District’s development bylaws provide for a universal framework and approach to development which seeks to minimize barriers to development, while ensuring that new developments are consistent with the community’s character and current development pattern. However, this is not always possible.
If you are considering a development and are facing difficulties with meeting all the District’s bylaw requirements, you can apply for a Development Variance Permit. Generally these difficulties can be due to the These can be issued to vary various bylaw requirements, including for:
- Building height and dimensions;
- Parcel coverage and property line setbacks;
- Landscaping requirements;
- Off-street parking spaces; or
- Off-site infrastructure requirements.
Development Variance Permits require Council approval, and are referred for community consultation as required by our Development Application Procedures Bylaw. While staff can provide general comments on your application, they cannot offer any commitments or guarantee of outcomes.
Development Variance Permits cannot be issued to vary the use or density of a use on property. In such cases, a rezoning application is required.
Signs on property and roads are restricted through a regulatory permitting system to protect the form and character of the community.
A Temporary Use Permit allows the use of land, on a temporary basis, in a manner which does not conform to the zoning bylaw or official community plan. These permits may be issued for an initial period of up to three years, with the possibility of one extension for a further three years.
The permit takes precedence over uses allowed in a zoning or rural land use bylaw. An example of a temporary use requiring a permit would be a retail store being located within a residential dwelling.
Because these allow for use of a property contrary to the Zoning Bylaw, temporary use permit applications are referred to Council for a decision. These applications are also subject to public notification and consultation requirements for transparency and to better understand any concerns with the application that may need to be addressed.
Conditions can be imposed as part of the permit. For example, the permit may require the permittee to return the property to the original state after use, or providing the District with a bond or letters of irrevocable credit with regard to a subject condition. This is to ensure that the agreed-upon conditions are completed and allow the property to return to its permitted uses once the permit expires.
Development Variance Permits require Council approval, and are referred for community consultation as required by our Development Application Procedures Bylaw. While staff can provide general comments on your application, they cannot offer any commitments or guarantee of outcomes.
Apply for a Temporary Use PermitGenerally, a development application will require:
- Copies of a scaled site plan showing the property subject to the application, existing structures with building dimensions, setbacks from the property line, land uses, site access locations, and any significant natural features.
- A copy of the state of title certificate or land title search providing proof of ownership.
- Copies of any registered charges, interests, or notices to the title of the property.
- A survey certificate or building location certificate.
- Payment of the application fee required under the Fees and Charges Bylaw.
As part of an application, you may be required to submit additional information beyond the requirements of the Development Application Procedures Bylaw. This may include reports from qualified professionals (an engineer, surveyor, biologist, professional planner, archeologist, or architect) related to:
- he geotechnical suitability of the land in relation to a proposed development;
- the impact on transportation networks and traffic flow;
- the impact on local infrastructure systems;
- the impact on the natural environment;
- the impact on housing availability and affordability;
- the impact on heritage or archeological sites or resources;
- wildfire risks and necessary risk reduction actions;
- the impacts on local community services and public facilities; or
- how the proposal protects and/or enhances the natural environment as indicated by the District’s sustainability checklist.
While the District is committed to ensuring a completed review within 21 days, an independent review of the information may be required.