Excavation in Coquitlam
Coquitlam sets turbidity and pH limits on site runoff, plus soil and tree permits and encroachment agreements.
Local rules that affect excavation
Checked October 2026. Each point below links to Coquitlam’s own bylaw or web page. Bylaws change, so confirm with Coquitlam before work starts. General information, not legal advice.
Erosion and drainage
- Stream and Drainage System Protection Bylaw No. 4403 applies to all development sites where soil is disturbed. Discharge limits are 25 NTU (100 NTU during and after heavy rain) and pH 6.5 to 8.0, with monitoring required for anything larger than a single-family home or duplex. Source: City of Coquitlam: Bylaw 4403
Soil, trees and shoring
- A Soil Management Permit is needed for changing the grade of a property by more than 1 m, among other triggers. Source: City of Coquitlam: Soil Management Permit
- Tree Management Bylaw 4091 protects trees 20 cm or more in diameter at 1.4 m; a permit is always needed on riparian, steep-slope or covenanted lots. Source: City of Coquitlam: Tree cutting permit
- Temporary Encroachment Agreements cover construction uses of City land, including shoring. Source: City of Coquitlam: Temporary encroachment
Provincial and federal rules apply too
Municipal bylaws sit on top of provincial and federal rules: BC 1 Call locates and WorkSafeBC requirements on every dig, the Agricultural Land Commission for fill in the ALR, soil relocation notifications for some commercial and industrial sites, and the Water Sustainability Act and Fisheries Act near streams. Our Excavation permits checklist for BC projects links each one to its source.
PCE in Coquitlam
PCE is based in Langley and works across Metro Vancouver. Services we take on here:
Got a big job coming up?
Tell us where it is, what needs to come out of the ground and when. We’ll tell you how we would do it.