The Sunshine Coast Regional District’s bylaw department had its busiest twelve months yet.
So says the District’s Manager of Protective Services, Matt Treit who says there was a significant increase in tickets and fines issued year over year.
“Despite extended outreach and communication around the importance of following zoning bylaws and water conservation regulations, some people are still not getting the message,” says Treit.
Through 2022, they issued over $73,000 dollars were issued in bylaw fines from 163 tickets.
The majority of those fines came from zoning violations ($32,150), like unauthorized land clearing and tree cutting. Other sources of fines were for not following water conservation regulations ($11,400) and for building violations ($9,500).
The District says they continue to deal with a high number of ongoing nuisance complaints, that are also governed by other authorities – like the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and Vancouver Coastal Health.
The recommendation from the district to avoid any fines is to check before you dig, build, or demolish.
They say, “The [district’s] planning, bylaw, and building departments are available to answer questions you may have and can advise you on permits and applications that are required for the work you want to do.”
