Professional Building Inspections (PBI)
Building Code Inspection & Enforcement Program
First Steps
For a building code program to work effectively, it will require the co-operation between Council, municipal Administration staff and PBI.
First steps by Council are to adopt a building bylaw. Council is instrumental in passing all building bylaws according to The Constructions Code Act (CC Act) and ensuring that the integrity of these bylaws is enforced. Builders will sometimes test the enforcement of the bylaws. This will require a Council that supports the Building Officials and believes in the intent of the bylaws, the CC Act, and the National Building Code of Canada (NBC). PBI has helped several municipalities formulate an effective building bylaw and would be happy to work with Council if they do not already have a bylaw in place.
Next steps are to approve the service agreement with PBI and to appoint the Building Officials for the class of service requested.
Permit Application
There are two steps to each construction application: (1) Development Permit approval (as per municipal zoning bylaws, governed by the Planning & Development Act) and (2) Building Permit approval (as per municipal building bylaws, governed by the CC Act). Note that Building Officials only have enforcement authority under the CC Act, so it is very important that all development requirements are met before sending anything to PBI for review.
After development has been approved by Council, the municipal Administration would initiate the new building permit request. When an owner or owner’s agent (e.g. contractor or designer) applies for a building permit, they must provide the appropriate plans and required documents for the proposed building project. PBI supplies Administrators with a document checklist to provide to ratepayers.
Plan Review & Inspections
Upon receiving all required building plans and documents from the applicant, PBI will do a plan review and return it to the municipal office for final approval.
If approved, PBI will start the inspection process with little more required from the municipality than collecting the permit fee, issuing the building permit, forwarding the plan review report to the applicant, and any extraordinary measures required to enforce the CC Act.
Owners/agents are required to contact PBI directly for inspections at defined stages of construction, as noted on the plan review report.