---
title: Campbell River unsightly property rules and how to report
question: "How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property in Campbell River?"
place: Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/campbell-river
category: Bylaws, noise and complaints
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Campbell River
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/unsightly-property/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/unsightly-property.json"
---

# Campbell River unsightly property rules and how to report

**Question:** How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property in Campbell River?

**Short answer:** Call Campbell River Bylaw Enforcement at 250-286-5776 or email bylaw@campbellriver.ca. Under the Public Nuisance Bylaw, owners must not let property become unsightly or collect rubbish, and must keep ground cover under 30 cm. If an owner ignores an order, the City can do the work and bill them.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Campbell River, https://www.campbellriver.ca)  
**Cost:** Municipal tickets: $200 for unsightly property, rubbish accumulations or a building not meeting maintenance standards; $150 each for unsightly vegetation, ground cover over 30 cm, insect infestation, failure to remove discarded materials when required, or failure to maintain to neighbourhood standards.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Enforcement, 250-286-5776
- Email: Bylaw Enforcement, bylaw@campbellriver.ca

## Key facts

- **What counts:** Owners must not let property become or stay unsightly, or let water, rubbish, discarded materials or noxious, offensive or unwholesome matter collect around it. Also required: keep property clear of unkempt brush, trees and growths, keep ground cover under 30 cm, prevent infestations of caterpillars and noxious or destructive insects, remove unsightly accumulations when ordered, and keep buildings to maintenance standards and the general appearance of similar properties nearby. Graffiti must be removed (s. 7.2).
  - Source: [Public Nuisance Bylaw No. 3543, 2014 (consolidated), ss. 7.14-7.17](https://www.campbellriver.ca/media/file/3543-public-nuisance-bylaw-2014-consolidated-bylaw-3589-2015)
  - Official wording: "the Real Property to become or remain unsightly or permit water, rubbish, Discarded" … "keep the Real Property clear of unsightly and unkempt brush, trees, or other" … "keep ground cover vegetation from exceeding 30 cm in height; and" … "maintain the general appearance and repair of the Real"
  - Source: [Public Nuisance Bylaw No. 3543, 2014 (consolidated), s. 7.2](https://www.campbellriver.ca/media/file/3543-public-nuisance-bylaw-2014-consolidated-bylaw-3589-2015)
  - Official wording: "Every owner of Real Property shall remove Graffiti"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to report:** Call 250-286-5776 or email bylaw@campbellriver.ca. Include your name, contact details, the address, and a detailed description with time and date if applicable. Anonymous complaints are not accepted.
  - Source: [Bylaw Enforcement, Make a Complaint](https://www.campbellriver.ca/community-safety/bylaw-enforcement)
  - Official wording: "To make a complaint related to a public nuisance, call 250-286-5776 or email bylaw@campbellriver.ca." … "We do not accept anonymous complaints." … "Detailed description of complaint (including time / date if applicable)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **What happens next:** If an owner does not comply, Council may declare that the property must be brought into compliance within a set time, and a Bylaw Enforcement Officer issues a notice. If the owner still does not comply, the City may enter and do the work at the owner's cost. Unpaid 30 days after a demand, the City may sue for the debt; unpaid by December 31 it may be added to the property taxes. The owner may ask Council to reconsider within 14 days.
  - Source: [Public Nuisance Bylaw No. 3543, 2014 (consolidated), ss. 7.20-7.23](https://www.campbellriver.ca/media/file/3543-public-nuisance-bylaw-2014-consolidated-bylaw-3589-2015)
  - Official wording: "Council may make a declaration requiring that the owner or" … "at the cost of the defaulting owner or other responsible Person." … "the City may direct that the amount of the cost be added" … "applying in writing for such reconsideration within 14 days of receipt of"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Municipal ticket: unsightly property or accumulations of rubbish and discarded materials $200 (s. 7.14(a)); building not meeting maintenance standards $200; unsightly vegetation, ground cover over 30 cm, insect infestation, or failure to remove discarded materials when required $150 each; failure to maintain property to neighbourhood standards $150.
  - Source: [Ticketing for Bylaw Offences Bylaw No. 3322, 2007 (consolidated to Bylaw 4003, 2025), Sch. 18](https://www.campbellriver.ca/media/file/3322-ticketing-bylaw-offences-consolidated-bylaw-4003-2025pdf)
  - Official wording: "Unsightly property or permit accumulations of water, rubbish," … "Failure to keep property clear of unsightly vegetation" … "Ground cover vegetation exceeds 30 cm" … "Failure to maintain or repair Real Property to neighbourhood"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Public Nuisance Bylaw No. 3543, 2014 (Part 7, Property Maintenance)
  - Source: [Public Nuisance Bylaw No. 3543, 2014 (consolidated), title](https://www.campbellriver.ca/media/file/3543-public-nuisance-bylaw-2014-consolidated-bylaw-3589-2015)
  - Official wording: "PUBLIC NUISANCE BYLAW 3543, 2014 Consolidated Version City of Campbell River | Public Nuisance Bylaw No 3543, 2014 Consolidated to Bylaw 3964, 2024 1"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under Part 7 of the [Public Nuisance Bylaw](https://www.campbellriver.ca/media/file/3543-public-nuisance-bylaw-2014-consolidated-bylaw-3589-2015), owners in Campbell River must not let property become or stay unsightly, or let water, rubbish, discarded materials or noxious, offensive or unwholesome matter collect around it. They must also keep property clear of unkempt brush, trees and growths, keep ground cover under 30 cm, prevent infestations of caterpillars and noxious or destructive insects, and remove unsightly accumulations when ordered. Buildings must be kept to maintenance standards and the general appearance of similar properties nearby. Graffiti must be removed.

## Steps

1. Call 250-286-5776 or email bylaw@campbellriver.ca.
2. Give your name and contact details, the address, and a detailed description with time and date if applicable. Anonymous complaints are not accepted.
3. If an owner does not comply, Council may declare that the property must be brought into compliance within a set time, and a Bylaw Enforcement Officer issues a notice.
4. If the owner still does not comply, the City may enter and do the work at the owner's cost.

## Good to know

- Unpaid costs 30 days after a demand can be sued for as a debt; if unpaid by December 31 they may be added to the property taxes.
- The owner may ask Council to reconsider within 14 days.
- Repeat nuisance properties can also be declared a Nuisance Property under Bylaw No. 4002, 2025, with a $250 charge per City or RCMP attendance.

## What you'll need

- Your name and contact details
- The property address and a detailed description of the problem, with time and date if applicable

## Official forms and pages

- [Public Nuisance Bylaw 3543, 2014 (PDF)](https://www.campbellriver.ca/media/file/3543-public-nuisance-bylaw-2014-consolidated-bylaw-3589-2015)

## Related questions

- [Campbell River bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/unsightly-property.md)
- [Courtenay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/unsightly-property.md)
- [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/unsightly-property.md)
- [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/unsightly-property.md)
- [Powell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/powell-river/unsightly-property.md)
- [Sayward](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/unsightly-property.md)
- [Gold River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/unsightly-property.md)

## Sources

- [Public Nuisance Bylaw No. 3543, 2014 (consolidated) (PDF)](https://www.campbellriver.ca/media/file/3543-public-nuisance-bylaw-2014-consolidated-bylaw-3589-2015) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Enforcement, City of Campbell River](https://www.campbellriver.ca/community-safety/bylaw-enforcement) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Ticketing for Bylaw Offences Bylaw No. 3322, 2007 (consolidated to Bylaw 4003, 2025) (PDF)](https://www.campbellriver.ca/media/file/3322-ticketing-bylaw-offences-consolidated-bylaw-4003-2025pdf) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Campbell River. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/unsightly-property/_