Registration and approval fees
| Authorization type |
Agricultural |
Commercial |
Residential |
Wildfire risk management |
Bylaw 1355
Initial Registration Fee |
Agricultural: $100 |
Commercial: $250 |
Residential: $50 |
Wildfire risk management: $50
|
Bylaw 1355
Renewal Fee |
Agricultural: $50 |
Commercial: $100
|
Residential: $25 |
Wildfire risk management: $25 |
Bylaw 1082
Open Burning Approval1 |
Agricultural: $100 |
Commercial: $1,000 |
Residential: $1,000 |
Wildfire risk management: $1,000 |
1Open Burning Approval fees are assessed on each approval.
Open Burning registration system
Register below for burning under Bylaw 1355 using the Open Burning Registration System.
Open Burning Online Registration System
Call us at 604-432-OBER (6237) or
OBER@metrovancouver.org if you need help with the registration system.
Before you burn
- You must reduce or eliminate the amount of material to be burnt.
- Alternatives to open burning include chipping, grinding, or shredding, and beneficial re-use like composting and mulching.
- Ensure there are no
prohibited materials in your burn pile(s).
- Register to burn under OBER or apply for an Open Burning Approval.
- Ensure your open burn meets the
requirements of OBER or approval issued by Metro Vancouver.
- Do not burn more than 12 days or portions of days in a year and 6 days or portions of days in a month.
- Notify your neighbors of your intent to burn and open burning location. Notification can be done by email, mail, phone, hand delivery, social media, or posting a notice on the property line at the nearest publically accessible location to the planned open burning.
- Notify Metro Vancouver of your intent to burn by:
- Call 604-436-6777 before starting a burn to find out if Metro Vancouver’s ventilation index allows a burn to be started or continued.
- Additional burning days are available when using an air curtain incinerator.
- Complete and keep an
Open Burning Record Sheet, so you can meet the record keeping requirements of OBER.
Why does Metro Vancouver restrict open burning?
Metro Vancouver’s mandate is to protect human health and the environment. Smoke emissions from open-air burning of vegetative debris contain fine particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and other harmful substances. These air contaminants can affect health and the environment, and some contribute to climate change. Because of the population density in parts of Metro Vancouver, smoke emissions from open-air burning can impact many people. Within the region, open-air burning activities are authorized for specific times under certain conditions, and this can create the potential for short-term exposure to elevated levels of smoke.
The regulation provides a simpler and more efficient way to manage open-air burning of vegetative debris in cases where specified requirements are met, while protecting air quality and health.
What is the Ventilation Index?
The
ventilation index tells you how quickly and effectively the smoke will flush out of an area. The index is based on the wind speed and the thickness of the so-called “mixing layer” of the atmosphere.