---
title: Canal Flats watering restrictions
question: "Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions in Canal Flats?"
place: Canal Flats, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/canal-flats
category: Water, sewer, roads and snow
owner: municipal
owner_body: Village of Canal Flats
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/water-restrictions/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/water-restrictions.json"
---

# Canal Flats watering restrictions

**Question:** Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions in Canal Flats?

**Short answer:** In Canal Flats, the Water System Regulations Bylaw sets four stages of watering restrictions that apply when the Village announces one. Stage 1 allows ornamental watering only on set days and hours. Stage 2 bans ornamental watering. Check the Village for the current stage.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Canal Flats, https://www.canalflats.ca)  
**Cost:** Fine on conviction: $2,000 to $10,000 under the Offence Act.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village Office (Columbia Discovery Centre), 8866 Grainger Road, Canal Flats, BC V0B 1B0 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed 12:00 to 1:00))
- Phone: Village Office, 250-349-5462
- Phone: Sewer or water emergency, 250-919-1946

## Key facts

- **When restrictions apply:** The Water System Regulations Bylaw sets four stages of restrictions (Stage 1 to Stage 4) that apply when the Village announces a stage. Stage 1: ornamental watering only on set days and hours. Stage 2: no ornamental watering. Stage 3: no outdoor water use. Stage 4: indoor use only for drinking, cooking and sanitation.
  - Source: [Water System Regulations Bylaw No. 289, 2025, s. 9(6)-(9)](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/48321/)
  - Official wording: "Stage 1 Restriction means:" … "Stage 3 Restriction means all outdoor applications of water are prohibited." … "is restricted to drinking, cooking and sanitation purposes only"
  - Source: [Water System Regulations Bylaw No. 289, 2025, s. 9(10)](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/48321/)
  - Official wording: "planted within 90 days of announcing a Stage 2 Restriction."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Sprinkling schedule:** Stage 1: even-numbered civic addresses water on even calendar days and odd-numbered on odd days, 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., using a sprinkler or drip system. A hand-held hose with automatic shut-off or hand-held canister is also allowed; the wording does not clearly say whether the day and hour limits apply. Stage 2 and higher: no ornamental watering.
  - Source: [Water System Regulations Bylaw No. 289, 2025, s. 9(6)](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/48321/)
  - Official wording: "Even numbered civic addresses permitted to apply water on even numbered" … "calendar days between the hours of 6:00am to 10:00am and 6:00pm and 10:00pm" … "Odd numbered civic addresses permitted to apply water on odd numbered" … "of a Sprinkler or a drip irrigation system with:" … "calendar days between the hours of 6:00am to 10:00am and 6:00pm and 10:00pm;"
  - Source: [Water System Regulations Bylaw No. 289, 2025, s. 9(7)](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/48321/)
  - Official wording: "Outdoor watering of Ornamental lawns, gardens, trees and landscaped areas is"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Allowed at any time:** Under Stage 2, food plants may be watered by hand-held hose with automatic shut-off or hand-held canister during the Stage 1 days and times. Line and hydrant flushing, emergency response including fire, and uses in the Village's best interest are exempt at all stages. Whether Stage 1 hose watering is exempt from the day and hour limits is unclear.
  - Source: [Water System Regulations Bylaw No. 289, 2025, s. 9(6)-(7), 9(10)](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/48321/)
  - Official wording: "Food plants may be watered only by a hand" … "Water line and hydrant flushing, emergency response, including fire, or any use" … "hand-held canister, or use"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **New lawns:** Ornamental lawns, gardens, trees and landscaped areas of a parcel planted within 90 days of announcing a Stage 2 Restriction are exempt from the staged restrictions.
  - Source: [Water System Regulations Bylaw No. 289, 2025, s. 9(10)(a)](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/48321/)
  - Official wording: "planted within 90 days of announcing a Stage 2 Restriction."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Water System Regulations Bylaw No. 289, 2025, s. 16(2): on conviction under the Offence Act, a fine of $2,000 to $10,000 (s. 16(1) did not extract). The posted ticket schedules list water restrictions only under the repealed Bylaw 153 s. 2.05: municipal ticket $50; bylaw notice $100 ($75 within 14 days, $125 after 28 days).
  - Source: [Water System Regulations Bylaw No. 289, 2025, s. 16(2)](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/48321/)
  - Official wording: "a person is liable to pay a fine of not less" … "than $2,000 and up to $10,000" … "than $2,000 and up to $10,000 if proceedings are brought under the Offence Act; or" … "are hereby repealed in their entirety."
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 231, 2020, Schedule H (Bylaw No. 153, 2013)](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/47771/)
  - Official wording: "Violate water use restrictions 2.05 $50.00"
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement and Dispute Adjudication System Bylaw No. 242, 2021, Bylaw 242, Schedule A](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/20426/)
  - Official wording: "Violate water use" … "$100 $75 $125 No"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Village of Canal Flats Water System Regulations Bylaw No. 289, 2025
  - Source: [Water System Regulations Bylaw No. 289, 2025, s. 1](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/48321/)
  - Official wording: "Village of Canal Flats Water System" … "Regulations Bylaw No. 289, 2025"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [Water System Regulations Bylaw No. 289, 2025](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/48321/) sets four stages that apply when the Village announces a stage. To find out the current stage, ask the Village office or check its website and notices.

- Stage 1: ornamental watering only on set days and hours.
- Stage 2: no ornamental watering.
- Stage 3: no outdoor water use.
- Stage 4: indoor use only for drinking, cooking and sanitation.

## Steps

1. Check which stage is in force, from the Village.
2. At Stage 1, even-numbered civic addresses water on even calendar days and odd-numbered on odd days, 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., using a sprinkler or drip system.
3. At Stage 2 or higher, do not water ornamental lawns or gardens.

## Good to know

- A hand-held hose with automatic shut-off or a hand-held canister is also allowed at Stage 1. The wording does not clearly say whether the day and hour limits apply to it, so ask the Village.
- Under Stage 2, food plants may be watered by hand-held hose with automatic shut-off or hand-held canister during the Stage 1 days and times.
- Ornamental lawns, gardens, trees and landscaped areas planted within 90 days of announcing a Stage 2 restriction are exempt from the staged restrictions.
- Line and hydrant flushing, emergency response including fire, and uses in the Village's best interest are exempt at all stages.
- The readable text gives no seasonal start or end date.
- Fine: on conviction, $2,000 to $10,000 under the Offence Act. The posted ticket schedules still cite the repealed earlier water bylaw (municipal ticket $50; bylaw notice $100, $75 within 14 days, $125 after 28 days) and disagree with each other. Confirm with the Village.
- Water emergency line: 250-919-1946.

## Official forms and pages

- [Water System Regulations Bylaw No. 289, 2025 (PDF)](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/48321/)

## Related questions

- [Canal Flats bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Canal Flats garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/garbage-collection.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Watering restrictions in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/water-restrictions.md)
- [Invermere](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/invermere/water-restrictions.md)
- [Radium Hot Springs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/radium-hot-springs/water-restrictions.md)
- [Kimberley](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kimberley/water-restrictions.md)
- [Elkford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/water-restrictions.md)
- [Cranbrook](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/water-restrictions.md)
- [Kaslo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kaslo/water-restrictions.md)

## Sources

- [Water System Regulations Bylaw No. 289, 2025 (PDF), Village of Canal Flats](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/48321/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement and Dispute Adjudication System Bylaw No. 242, 2021 (PDF), Village of Canal Flats](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/20426/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 231, 2020 (PDF), Village of Canal Flats](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/47771/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact Us, Village of Canal Flats](https://www.canalflats.ca/contact-us/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Emergency, Village of Canal Flats](https://www.canalflats.ca/village-services/emergency/) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Canal Flats. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/water-restrictions/_