The Town’s Building Permit Bylaw establishes the Town’s authority for building permits. In the interest of public safety and, as required by the Safety Codes Act of the Province of Alberta, all building construction must have a Building Permit and are subject to appropriate inspections.
Building permits are required for the construction, alteration, repair, relocation, demolition, or change of occupancy of any building. Read more in the Guide to Building Permits [PDF/352KB].
The Town of Peace River is accredited to administer Building Permits and has currently contracted building permit and inspection service to Superior Safety Codes Inc. Applications and drawings must be submitted to the Town Office, where they will be forwarded to the permit agency.
Construction Value + 4% Safety Codes Council (SCC) Levy = Building Permit Fee
Construction Value: $5.75 per $1,000.00 of work value (minimum is $150, or $400 for industrial) SCC Fee: 4% of the permit fee (minimum is $6.00 to a maximum of $560). This fee goes to the costs of the Provincial Safety Codes Council administering the Safety Codes Act.
Damage Deposit: $1000.00 This deposit is collected at the time of application. Prior to the start of construction, an inspection of municipal infrastructure on or adjacent to the site is completed. Once construction is complete, a second site inspection is done. If there was no damage to Town property (e.g. curbs, gutters, sidewalks, waterlines) during construction, the damage deposit is refunded.
Process Info
A building permit is required for any construction, alteration, repair, renovation, relocation, demolition, or change of occupancy/use of any building. The requirement is established by the Alberta Safety Codes Act.
Building permits are applied for through the Town office using the building permit application. Most building permit applications must include building and site drawings illustrating the proposed construction. The Application Checklists provide specific requirements for different types of projects.
The application form MUST be filled in completely, or staff will have to ask for more information before transferring the application to the Safety Codes Officers. Please ensure the following information is provided:
Permit Type (owner or contractor)
Application date
Estimated completion date
Owner Information
Contractor Information (if it is a contractor permit application)
Project address
Project Information
Type of Work
Detailed Description of Work
Square footage
Project Value
New Home Warranty Registration number (required for a new dwelling permits)
The application must be signed to be considered complete.
Inspections for all building permits are performed by the Town’s Safety Codes contractor, Superior Safety Codes. Inspections can be booked by phoning Superior Safety Codes at 780-489-4777. Please have your permit number handy.
The required inspections for your project are indicated on your permit plan review.
Have the requested documentation on-site.
The final inspection verifies that the development is safe to occupy and meets all applicable building codes and bylaws.
New buildings may not be occupied until they have passed inspection for building, plumbing, gas and electrical permits and compliant Permit Services Reports have been issued to the applicant in all applicable disciplines.
To issue Occupancy Permits, the Town requires the final Permit Services Report for each safety codes discipline. As the Building Code Authority, the Town will have the Permit Services Reports for the building discipline. The Town will issue an Occupancy Permit upon request, provided the Permit Services Reports for the other disciplines are submitted by the applicant.
A water meter must be installed and a utility account activated before the water valve may be turned on and only the Town may turn the main water valve.
Prior to occupying a new building, please check with the Planning & Development to ensure all pre-occupancy requirements have been met.
Are you starting a project or development, and are unsure of how Alberta codes and standards impact your plans? Find useful information about common types of building projects at Safety Tips – Safety Codes Council. Includes information about basement renovations, bedroom window requirements, home additions, secondary suites and more.
The Safety Tips will help you understand the proper practices and designs to achieve the standards of safety set by the codes in force in Alberta.
