{"title":"Canal Flats fence rules: permits and height limits","question":"Do I need a permit to build a fence in Canal Flats, and how high can it be?","slug":"fence-rules","place":{"path":"ca/bc/canal-flats","name":"Canal Flats","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"building-and-renovating","name":"Building, renovating and your property"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"Village of Canal Flats","url":"https://www.canalflats.ca"},"short_answer":"In Canal Flats a fence does not need a building permit, but the Zoning Bylaw limits its height. In residential and mixed-use zones a fence may be 1.2 m (3.9 ft) high in the front yard and 1.8 m (6 ft) in a required side or rear yard. A retaining wall does need a permit.","aliases":["fence height canal flats","fence permit canal flats","backyard fence rules canal flats","canal flats fence bylaw"],"cost":"No building permit is needed for a fence, so no permit fee.","how_long":"Not applicable; no permit is needed for a fence.","where":[{"type":"in_person","label":"Village Office (Columbia Discovery Centre)","value":"8866 Grainger Road, Canal Flats, BC V0B 1B0","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed 12:00 to 1:00)"},{"type":"phone","label":"Village Office","value":"250-349-5462"},{"type":"email","label":"Village Office","value":"village@canalflats.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 215, 2019","url":"https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/50072/"}],"related":[{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Canal Flats zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Canal Flats building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/building-permit/"},{"slug":"deck-shed-garage-permit","title":"Canal Flats permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/deck-shed-garage-permit/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/invermere","name":"Invermere","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/invermere/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/radium-hot-springs","name":"Radium Hot Springs","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/radium-hot-springs/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/kimberley","name":"Kimberley","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kimberley/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/elkford","name":"Elkford","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/cranbrook","name":"Cranbrook","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/fence-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/kaslo","name":"Kaslo","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kaslo/fence-rules/"}],"topic":{"title":"Fence height limits in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fence-rules/"},"facts":{"permit":{"label":"Permit","value":"No building permit for a fence: the Building Bylaw does not apply to a fence, except that a retaining wall needs a building permit.","short":"No building permit","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/28968/","title":"Building Bylaw No. 230, 2020, Village of Canal Flats","section":"s. 3.3(a); s. 11.1","quotes":["except as set out in Part 11 [Retaining Walls] of this bylaw, a fence;","No person may construct, or structurally repair, a retaining wall without a building permit."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"height_front":{"label":"Height, front yard","value":"1.2 m (3.9 ft) in the R-1, R-1A, R-MH, C-1 and MU zones and other residential and mixed-use zones. In zones not listed there, 1.8 m (6 ft).","short":"1.2 m (1.8 m in zones not listed)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/50072/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 215, 2019 (consolidated), Village of Canal Flats","section":"s. 1.7","quotes":["no screening or fencing shall be higher than 1.2 m (3.9 ft.) from ground level in a front yard;","no screening or fencing shall be higher than 1.8 m (6.0 ft.) from ground level in a front yard; and"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"height_side_rear":{"label":"Height, side and rear yards","value":"1.8 m (6 ft) in a required side or rear yard, but 1.2 m in a required side yard next to a highway right-of-way other than a lane (the clause continues with a 1.8 m limit in a case whose wording is unclear). Where a rear parcel line abuts the front or side line of an adjoining parcel, no higher than the front or side limit.","short":"1.8 m (1.2 m on side yard next to highway)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/50072/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 215, 2019 (consolidated), Village of Canal Flats","section":"s. 1.7.1-1.7.2","quotes":["no screening or fencing shall be higher than 1.8 m (6.0 ft.) from ground level in a required side yard or rear yard;","no screening or fencing shall be higher than 1.2 m (3.9 ft.) from ground level in a required side yard where adjacent to a highway right-of-way other than a lane equal to","where a rear parcel line of a parcel abuts the front parcel line or side parcel line of an"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"corner_lots":{"label":"Corner lots and sightlines","value":"No fence, wall, building or structure higher than 1.2 m (3.9 ft) in the area bounded by the lot lines at the corner of a public street and a line 4.0 m (13.1 ft) along the lot line from their intersection (the visibility corner triangle).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/50072/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 215, 2019 (consolidated), Village of Canal Flats","section":"s. 1.8.2(a)","quotes":["No Fence, wall, Building, or Structure will be erected to a height greater than 1.2","any Public Street and a line extending 4.0 metres (13.1 ft.) along the Lot line"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"other_rules":{"label":"Other rules","value":"Barbed wire fencing is allowed only in the RA, SH, IT and P zones. Shipping containers may not be used as fencing or screening. A swimming pool, spa or hot tub must be enclosed by a fence (Building Bylaw Part 14). Fences next to a street or public place must not be unstable, rotting, leaning or rusting (Good Neighbour Bylaw).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/50072/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 215, 2019 (consolidated), Village of Canal Flats","section":"s. 1.7.3; s. 2.9","quotes":["Barbed wire fencing is an allowable component of fencing and screening in the RA, SH, IT","Not be used as housing or a dwelling, fencing, screening, or for advertising;"]},{"url":"https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/28968/","title":"Building Bylaw No. 230, 2020, Village of Canal Flats","section":"s. 14.2","quotes":["A swimming pool, including a spa or hot tub must be enclosed within a fence constructed"]},{"url":"https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/48953/","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 296, 2026, Village of Canal Flats","section":"Part 2, s. 4","quotes":["a fence, a retaining wall, or a wood tie located on the property"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Village of Canal Flats Zoning Bylaw No. 215, 2019, ss. 1.7 and 1.8.2; Building Bylaw No. 230, 2020, s. 3.3(a)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/50072/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 215, 2019 (consolidated), Village of Canal Flats","section":"s. 1.1","quotes":["This Bylaw may be cited as “Village of Canal Flats Zoning Bylaw No. 215, 2019”."]},{"url":"https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/28968/","title":"Building Bylaw No. 230, 2020, Village of Canal Flats","section":"s. 1.1","quotes":["This bylaw may be cited as “Village of Canal Flats Building Bylaw No. 230, 2020”."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe [Building Bylaw No. 230](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/28968/) does not apply to a fence, so there is no building permit for one. A retaining wall is the exception and needs a building permit. Fence heights are set by the [Zoning Bylaw No. 215](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/50072/).\n\nIn the R-1, R-1A, R-MH, C-1 and MU zones and other residential and mixed-use zones, the limit is 1.2 m (3.9 ft) in a front yard and 1.8 m (6 ft) in a required side or rear yard. The limit is 1.2 m in a required side yard next to a highway right-of-way other than a lane. Where a rear parcel line meets the front or side line of a neighbouring parcel, the fence may be no higher than the front or side limit. In zones not listed, the limit is 1.8 m (6 ft).\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Find your zone (see the zoning-lookup answer).\n2. Check the height limits above for that zone and for your fence's location on the lot.\n3. Keep the corner clear: nothing higher than 1.2 m (3.9 ft) within the area bounded by the lot lines and a line 4.0 m (13.1 ft) along each lot line from the corner of a public street.\n4. Call the Village office at 250-349-5462 if your case is unclear.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Barbed wire fencing is allowed only in the RA, SH, IT and P zones.\n- Shipping containers may not be used as fencing or screening.\n- A swimming pool, spa or hot tub must be enclosed by a fence (Building Bylaw Part 14).\n- Under the Good Neighbour Bylaw, a fence next to a street or public place must not be unstable, rotting, leaning or rusting.\n- The sources do not say how height is measured beyond \"from ground level\".","sources":[{"url":"https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/50072/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 215, 2019 (consolidated), Village of Canal Flats","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/28968/","title":"Building Bylaw No. 230, 2020, Village of Canal Flats","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/48953/","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 296, 2026, Village of Canal Flats","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.canalflats.ca/contact-us/","title":"Contact Us, Village of Canal Flats","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/fence-rules/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/fence-rules.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/fence-rules.json"}}