Work that is a building operation requires a Building Permit.

A building operation includes*:

• Excavation or quarrying of any land, including under an existing building
• The demolition of any building or structure except:
  • a building or structure built further than 25 feet from a road* or boundary or to which the public has access; and
  • the building does not contain any asbestos (for example: vinyl tiles or pipe insulation more than 30 years old or corrugated roofing) which has been confirmed by the Department of Health following a preliminary

*Road (BRBC Paragraph 3.4): any road, whether public or private that includes any street, square, court, alley, lane, bridge, footway, track, path, passage, railway trail or other highway whether a thoroughfare or not.

• The erection of any building or structure, whether permanent or temporary;
• The carrying out of any structural alteration to any building, including the removal of any parts of load bearing walls or of fire partitions or walls;
• The carrying out of works for the purpose of effecting a material change of use of the building or A material change in use shall mean a change from one use group to another according to the building codes;
• The installation or renewal of an electrical system;
• The installation or renewal of any plumbing, drainage or sewage disposal system;
• The installation or renewal of any gas fuel system;
• The reconstruction of a building;
• The conversion of a moveable object into a building;
• The removal of a building from one site and its re-erection elsewhere;
• The roofing over of an open space between walls or;
• The installation or renewal of any mechanical systems;
• The installation, renewal, renovation or change to any mechanical system containing more than 6.6 pounds (3 kilograms) of refrigerant; and
• The installation of any fuel burning system other than a cook top or oven, even if the fuel burning system piping is not being altered.