{"title":"Prince Rupert unsightly property rules and how to report","question":"How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property?","slug":"unsightly-property","place":{"path":"ca/bc/prince-rupert","name":"Prince Rupert","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":"City of Prince Rupert","url":"https://www.princerupert.ca"},"short_answer":"Report an unsightly or overgrown property in Prince Rupert to the Bylaw Department by the online complaint form (choose \"Unsightly Property\"), at 250-624-6852 or at bylaw@princerupert.ca. An officer can order the owner to fix it, usually within 14 days.","aliases":["overgrown lawn complaint","messy yard neighbour","garbage in yard","graffiti prince rupert","property maintenance"],"cost":"Free to report. Ticket $100 (municipal ticket, MTI Bylaw 2783 / Property Maintenance Bylaw). Good Neighbour Bylaw: no ticket amount found; court fine $100 to $10,000.","how_long":"An officer may order compliance within a set time, not over 14 days unless specified.","where":[{"type":"online","label":"File a Bylaw Complaint","value":"https://www.princerupert.ca/bylaw"},{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw Department","value":"250-624-6852"},{"type":"email","label":"Bylaw Department","value":"bylaw@princerupert.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"File a Bylaw Complaint","url":"https://www.princerupert.ca/bylaw"},{"title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 3558, 2025 (PDF)","url":"https://www.princerupert.ca/media/2423"},{"title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 3297, 2010 (PDF)","url":"https://www.princerupert.ca/media/638"}],"related":[{"slug":"rv-boat-trailer-parking","title":"Prince Rupert RV, boat and trailer parking rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/rv-boat-trailer-parking/"},{"slug":"bylaw-fines","title":"Prince Rupert bylaw fines and how tickets work","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/bylaw-fines/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/port-edward","name":"Port Edward","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/kitimat","name":"Kitimat","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kitimat/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/terrace","name":"Terrace","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/port-clements","name":"Port Clements","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-clements/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/stewart","name":"Stewart","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/stewart/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/new-hazelton","name":"New Hazelton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/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":"Good Neighbour Bylaw: filth, rubbish, graffiti or discarded materials visible from a street or nearby property; untidy building materials where no construction is under way; dead or uncontrolled vegetation; similar disrepair. Owners must not allow rubbish, vegetation or weed build-up, graffiti, firewood over 1 cord, or more than one unlicensed vehicle. Property Maintenance Bylaw also counts grass or brush over 30 cm.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.princerupert.ca/media/2423","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 3558, 2025 (PDF), City of Prince Rupert","section":"Definition of \"Unsightly\"; s. 7.2","quotes":["Landscaping or vegetation that is dead or characterized by uncontrolled growth or lack of maintenance","The untidy storage, location or placement of building materials on a site where construction is not taking place","Graffiti: All OWNERS shall not permit graffiti to remain on REAL PROPERTY"]},{"url":"https://www.princerupert.ca/media/638","title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 3297, 2010 (PDF), City of Prince Rupert","section":"s. 1 \"Unsightly\" k)","quotes":["Uncontrolled growth of vegetation, brush or grass in excess of 30 centimetres in height"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"},"sources_differ":"Two bylaws cover this and overlap: Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 3558, 2025 (final reading July 6, 2026, no repeal clause) and Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 3297, 2010 (still listed). Nuisance Prohibition Bylaw 2709 (1990) also bans unsightly property and graffiti. Details differ (e.g. unlicensed vehicles: one allowed under Good Neighbour s. 7.2(g); Property Maintenance counts one not licensed for a year or dismantled more than a month in 12)."},"how_to_report":{"label":"How to report","value":"Contact the Bylaw Department: 250-624-6852, bylaw@princerupert.ca, or use the online bylaw complaint form (type 'Unsightly Property'), also available through the City's municipal app.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.princerupert.ca/bylaw","title":"File a Bylaw Complaint, City of Prince Rupert","section":"File a Bylaw Complaint","quotes":["Phone: 250-624 6852 Email: bylaw@princerupert.ca","Animal Control Nuisance Traffic Unsightly Property Noise Other…"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"process":{"label":"What happens next","value":"A Bylaw Enforcement Officer may order the owner to comply within a set time, not over 14 days unless specified (Property Maintenance Bylaw: comply in 14 days, or within 7 days agree a plan). If not done, the City may enter and do the work at the owner's cost; unpaid costs can be added to the property taxes or sued for as a debt.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.princerupert.ca/media/2423","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 3558, 2025 (PDF), City of Prince Rupert","section":"s. 7.25, 7.29, 7.30","quotes":["within a time period specified in the notice, which shall not exceed fourteen (14) days unless otherwise specified","at the cost of the defaulting OWNER or other responsible PERSON","direct that the amount of the cost be added to the REAL PROPERTY tax roll"]},{"url":"https://www.princerupert.ca/media/638","title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 3297, 2010 (PDF), City of Prince Rupert","section":"s. 3.2-3.4","quotes":["comply with the requirements of the Notice within 14 days of the date of the Notice","will form part of the taxes payable on such property as taxes in arrears"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"$100 ticket (Property Maintenance Bylaw s. 4(c); Ticket Information Bylaw schedule E also lists $100 for unsightly property under Nuisance Prohibition Bylaw 2709). Good Neighbour Bylaw: court fine $100 to $10,000, no ticket amount found.","short":"Ticket $100","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.princerupert.ca/media/638","title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 3297, 2010 (PDF), City of Prince Rupert","section":"s. 4(c)","quotes":["may be enforced by municipal ticket and is subject to a fine of One-Hundred Dollars"]},{"url":"https://www.princerupert.ca/media/664","title":"Ticket Information Bylaw No. 2783 (consolidated to 2000) (PDF), City of Prince Rupert","section":"Schedule E","quotes":["Unsightly property 4 $100.00","Graffiti 3 $75.00"]},{"url":"https://www.princerupert.ca/media/2423","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 3558, 2025 (PDF), City of Prince Rupert","section":"s. 9.2","quotes":["shall be liable to a fine or penalty not less than $100.00, and not exceeding $10,000"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 3558, 2025; Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 3297, 2010","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.princerupert.ca/media/2423","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 3558, 2025 (PDF), City of Prince Rupert","section":"s. 1.1","quotes":["CITY OF PRINCE RUPERT GOOD NEIGHBOUR BYLAW NO. 3558, 2025"]},{"url":"https://www.princerupert.ca/media/638","title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 3297, 2010 (PDF), City of Prince Rupert","section":"s. 6","quotes":["City of Prince Rupert Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 3297, 2010"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"},"sources_differ":"Both appear to be in force; neither says it replaces the other. Nuisance Prohibition Bylaw No. 2709, 1990 (consolidated to 1994) is also still posted."}},"facts_summary":{"total":5,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nTwo bylaws cover this and neither says it replaces the other: the [Good Neighbour Bylaw 3558](https://www.princerupert.ca/media/2423) and the older [Property Maintenance Bylaw 3297](https://www.princerupert.ca/media/638). The Nuisance Prohibition Bylaw 2709 (1990) also bans unsightly property and graffiti. Details differ between them.\n\nUnder the Good Neighbour Bylaw, owners must not allow filth, rubbish, graffiti or discarded materials visible from a street or nearby property, untidy building materials where no construction is under way, dead or uncontrolled vegetation or weed build-up, or similar disrepair. Firewood over 1 cord and more than one unlicensed vehicle are also not allowed. The Property Maintenance Bylaw also counts grass or brush over 30 cm.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Use the online complaint form and choose \"Unsightly Property\", or call 250-624-6852 or email bylaw@princerupert.ca. The form is also available through the City's municipal app.\n2. A Bylaw Enforcement Officer may order the owner to comply within a set time, not over 14 days unless specified. Under the Property Maintenance Bylaw, the owner must comply in 14 days or, within 7 days, agree a plan.\n3. If it is not done, the City may enter and do the work at the owner's cost. Unpaid costs can be added to the property taxes or sued for as a debt.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- The two bylaws differ on vehicles: the Good Neighbour Bylaw allows one unlicensed vehicle; the Property Maintenance Bylaw counts one not licensed for a year or dismantled for more than a month in 12. Ask the Bylaw Department which applies to you.\n- Ticket: $100 (municipal ticket, MTI Bylaw 2783 schedule and Property Maintenance Bylaw). For the Good Neighbour Bylaw no ticket amount was found; a court fine is $100 to $10,000.\n- Under the Property Maintenance Bylaw a court fine can be up to $2,000, and each day is a separate offence.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.princerupert.ca/media/2423","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 3558, 2025 (PDF), City of Prince Rupert","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.princerupert.ca/media/638","title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 3297, 2010 (PDF), City of Prince Rupert","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.princerupert.ca/media/664","title":"Ticket Information Bylaw No. 2783 (consolidated to 2000) (PDF), City of Prince Rupert","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.princerupert.ca/bylaw","title":"File a Bylaw Complaint, City of Prince Rupert","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/prince-rupert/unsightly-property/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/unsightly-property.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/unsightly-property.json"}}