{"title":"North Saanich unsightly property rules and how to report","question":"How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property?","slug":"unsightly-property","place":{"path":"ca/bc/north-saanich","name":"North Saanich","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"bylaws-and-complaints","name":"Bylaws, noise and complaints"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"District of North Saanich","url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca"},"short_answer":"Send a written complaint about the property to North Saanich Bylaw Services using the Bylaw Complaint Form or bylawenforcement@northsaanich.ca. Unsightly Premises Bylaw 1400 covers rubbish, graffiti, unlicensed vehicles and untended brush or weeds. An officer can order removal within 14 days.","aliases":["messy yard north saanich","overgrown lot north saanich","junk on property north saanich","untidy premises"],"cost":"Municipal ticket $130, or $100 if paid within 30 days (2022 amounts; may have changed). Court fine $100 to $10,000.","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"online","label":"Bylaw Complaint Form","value":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/bylaw-complaint-form"},{"type":"email","label":"Bylaw Services","value":"bylawenforcement@northsaanich.ca"},{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw Services","value":"250-655-5476"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1400 (PDF)","url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/1400-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf"},{"title":"Bylaw Complaint Form","url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/bylaw-complaint-form"}],"related":[{"slug":"bylaw-fines","title":"North Saanich bylaw fines and how tickets work","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/bylaw-fines/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/sidney","name":"Sidney","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/central-saanich","name":"Central Saanich","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/highlands","name":"Highlands","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/saanich","name":"Saanich","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/langford","name":"Langford","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/view-royal","name":"View Royal","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/unsightly-property/"}],"topic":{"title":"Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/unsightly-property/"},"facts":{"what_counts":{"label":"What counts","value":"Owners must not let a parcel become or stay unsightly. Listed examples: an unlicensed vehicle in front of the front setback line, or more than one unlicensed vehicle not in a closed building, for 72 or more consecutive hours; accumulated filth, discarded materials or rubbish; unenclosed storage of furniture, appliances or other household, commercial or industrial items; graffiti; uncovered household garbage; building materials without a building permit; a building missing its surface or covering without a permit. Untended brush, grass and weeds must be removed.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/1400-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1400 (2015) (PDF)","section":"ss. 2, 3","quotes":["No Owner shall cause, allow or permit a parcel to become or to remain unsightly, and specifically:","the parking or storage for a total of 72 or more consecutive hours of:","No Owner shall cause, allow or permit the accumulation on a parcel of filth, discarded materials or rubbish of any kind","No Owner shall cause, allow or permit the presence of graffiti on a parcel;","No Owner shall cause, allow or permit the accumulation of household garbage on any parcel except where contained in a covered receptacle;","untended brush, grass, trees, noxious weeds, and other growths so as to ensure the property does not appear unkept"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"how_to_report":{"label":"How to report","value":"Submit a written complaint (the District only starts an investigation on a written complaint from a North Saanich resident): use the District Bylaw Enforcement Complaint Form or email bylawenforcement@northsaanich.ca with your name, address and contact information, a description of the problem and its location. Bylaw Services: 250-655-5476.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/resident-services/police-bylaw-services","title":"Police & Bylaw Services, District of North Saanich","section":"Bylaw Services, Submitting a Complaint","quotes":["A complaint with respect to an alleged contravention of a municipal bylaw must be submitted in writing prior to the District initiating an investigation and must contain:","Your name, address and contact information","A description of the nature of the complaint","The location of the alleged contravention","Following up with Bylaw Services at bylawenforcement@northsaanich.ca or 250-655-5476 will allow us to have a record of your complaint."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"process":{"label":"What happens next","value":"A Bylaw Enforcement Officer may deliver a Removal Order requiring removal within 14 days and explaining the right to ask Council to reconsider. Within 14 days of service the owner must comply or ask Council to reconsider; Council may affirm, vary or revoke the order. If the owner does not comply, District staff or a contractor may enter between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., remove and dispose of the items, and recover the cost from the owner as a debt.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/1400-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1400 (2015) (PDF)","section":"ss. 7 to 12","quotes":["requiring the removal within 14 days of any thing, things or class of things, that render the parcel unsightly;","Within 14 days after service of the Removal Order the Owner must:","request that Council reconsider the Removal Order.","Council may, after considering the matter, affirm, vary or revoke the Removal Order.","between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. and remove and dispose of any thing, things or class of things referred to in the Removal Order.","the District may recover the costs incurred from the Owner of the parcel subject to the Removal Order as a debt"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Municipal ticket (MTI Bylaw 1544, Schedule 7): $130, or $100 if paid within 30 days, for letting property become or stay untidy or for a listed item. Obstructing a Bylaw Officer: $500 ($350). Court fine: $100 to $10,000. Ticket amounts are from 2022 and may be out of date.","short":"Ticket $130 ($100 if paid within 30 days)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Municipal-Ticket-Information-Bylaw-No.-1544.pdf","title":"Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1544 (Schedule 7) (PDF)","section":"Schedule 7","quotes":["Allow or permit property to become or remain","Accumulation of trash or discarded materials 2(b) $130.00 $100.00","Obstruct Bylaw Officer 6 $500.00 $350.00"]},{"url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/1400-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1400 (2015) (PDF)","section":"s. 15","quotes":["liable to a fine and penalty of not more than $10,000.00 and not less than $100.00 for each offence"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"North Saanich Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1400 (2015)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/1400-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1400 (2015) (PDF)","section":"s. 17","quotes":["North Saanich Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1400 (2015)"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":5,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nUnder the [Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1400](https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/1400-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf), an owner must not let a parcel become or stay unsightly. The bylaw lists:\n\n- an unlicensed vehicle in front of the front setback line, or more than one unlicensed vehicle not in a closed building, for 72 or more consecutive hours;\n- accumulated filth, discarded materials or rubbish;\n- unenclosed storage of furniture, appliances or other household, commercial or industrial items;\n- graffiti and uncovered household garbage;\n- building materials without a building permit (allowed with a permit or stored in a closed building out of sight), or a building missing its surface or covering without a permit;\n- untended brush, grass and weeds, which must be removed. No height is set.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Submit a written complaint: the District starts an investigation only on a written complaint from a North Saanich resident. Use the Bylaw Complaint Form (the type list includes Property Standards) or email bylawenforcement@northsaanich.ca with your name, address and contact information, a description of the problem and its location. Bylaw Services: 250-655-5476.\n2. A Bylaw Enforcement Officer may deliver a Removal Order requiring removal within 14 days.\n3. Within 14 days of service the owner must comply or ask Council to reconsider; Council may affirm, vary or revoke the order.\n4. If the owner does not comply, District staff or a contractor may enter between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., remove and dispose of the items, and recover the cost from the owner as a debt.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Each day an offence continues is a separate offence.\n- A ticket is $130, or $100 if paid within 30 days, and the court fine is $100 to $10,000. Obstructing a Bylaw Officer is $500 ($350). The ticket amounts are from 2022; the District has since passed 2026 ticket bylaws we could not read, so confirm the current amount.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/1400-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1400 (2015) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/resident-services/police-bylaw-services","title":"Police & Bylaw Services, District of North Saanich","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.northsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-06/Municipal-Ticket-Information-Bylaw-No.-1544.pdf","title":"Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1544 (Schedule 7) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/unsightly-property/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/unsightly-property.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/unsightly-property.json"}}