{"title":"Squamish unsightly property rules and how to report","question":"How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property in Squamish?","slug":"unsightly-property","place":{"path":"ca/bc/squamish","name":"Squamish","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 Squamish","url":"https://squamish.ca"},"short_answer":"Report an unsightly property to Squamish Bylaw Enforcement. Describe the condition and how the property relates to yours. An officer may ask for a statement while working with the owner.","aliases":[],"cost":null,"how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"The municipal complaint contact","value":"604-815-5067"}],"documents":[],"forms":[],"related":[{"slug":"noise-rules","title":"Squamish noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/squamish/noise-rules/"},{"slug":"bylaw-fines","title":"Squamish bylaw fines and how tickets work","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/squamish/bylaw-fines/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/lions-bay","name":"Lions Bay","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/bowen-island","name":"Bowen Island","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/west-vancouver","name":"West Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/gibsons","name":"Gibsons","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver-district","name":"District of North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver","name":"North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/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":"The notice schedule lists accumulated rubbish or water, unsanitary conditions, noxious weeds, unsafe trees or growth, and graffiti.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://squamish.civicweb.net/document/200801","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2418, 2015 (PDF)","section":"Unsightly Premises schedule, sections 2(a)–(f)","quotes":["District of Squamish Unsightly Premises Regulation Bylaw No. 1868, 2005 (Amended as per Bylaw 2714) Designated Bylaw Contraventions and Penalties","2(a)         Accumulation of refuse,          $200               $180                $220         No garbage or other material 2(b)         Water accumulation               $200               $180                $220         No 2(c)         Unsanitary conditions            $200               $180                $220         No 2(d)         Noxious weeds                    $200               $180                $220         No 2(e)         Unsafe tree or other             $200               $180                $220         No growth 2(f)         Causing or permitting            $500               $450                $550         No graffiti on property"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"how_to_report":{"label":"How to report","value":"Call Squamish Bylaw Enforcement at 604-815-5067. Describe the condition and its effect on your property.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://squamish.ca/public-safety-services/bylaws-and-enforcement/enforcement/","title":"Enforcement","section":"What regulations do Bylaw Officers enforce?","quotes":["Some complaints are easily remedied while others, like unsightly or untidy properties, often take more time as we work with the property owner to rectify any issues. When submitting an unsightly premises complaint, you may be asked for a statement to articulate the unsightliness of the property as well as your relationship to the offending property. You may be asked to complete a “noise log” when submitting a noise complaint."]},{"url":"https://squamish.ca/public-safety-services/bylaws-and-enforcement/","title":"Bylaws and Enforcement","section":"Submitting a bylaw complaint","quotes":["Bylaw Enforcement Officers can be contacted by telephone at 604.815.5067. If you reach voicemail, please leave a detailed message as the officers may be out on patrol.  An officer will respond within 72 hours to general nuisance complaints, although we aim to respond sooner. Health, safety and environmental impact complaints will be prioritized."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"process":{"label":"What happens next","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"not_found","note":"Checked Enforcement - District of Squamish - Hardwired for Adventure, Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 2312, 2014; not found there.","sources":[]},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Accumulated refuse, unsanitary conditions or noxious weeds each carry a $200 notice ($180 within 14 days, $220 after 28 days). Causing or permitting graffiti carries $500 ($450 early, $550 late).","short":"Notice $200 ($180 within 14 days)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://squamish.civicweb.net/document/200801","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2418, 2015 (PDF)","section":"Section 5 and Unsightly Premises schedule, section 2","quotes":["(b)    if received by the District within fourteen (14) days of the person receiving or being presumed to have received the bylaw notice, the discounted penalty set out in Column 2 opposite the contravention; (c)    if more than twenty-eight (28) days after the person received or is presumed to have received the bylaw notice, the late penalty set out in Column 3 opposite the contravention; or","District of Squamish Unsightly Premises Regulation Bylaw No. 1868, 2005 (Amended as per Bylaw 2714) Designated Bylaw Contraventions and Penalties Early payment       Late payment        Compliance penalty within 14   penalty after 28      agreement Penalty          days               days          reduced penalty","2(a)         Accumulation of refuse,          $200               $180                $220         No garbage or other material 2(b)         Water accumulation               $200               $180                $220         No 2(c)         Unsanitary conditions            $200               $180                $220         No 2(d)         Noxious weeds                    $200               $180                $220         No 2(e)         Unsafe tree or other             $200               $180                $220         No growth 2(f)         Causing or permitting            $500               $450                $550         No graffiti on property"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"not_found","note":"Checked Enforcement - District of Squamish - Hardwired for Adventure, Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 2312, 2014; not found there.","sources":[]}},"facts_summary":{"total":5,"stated":3,"matched":3,"none":0,"unknown":2},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nDescribe the condition a bylaw officer could locate on the property. An address, the part of the lot affected and a description of what has accumulated are more helpful than a general description of the property as untidy. The notice schedule lists accumulated rubbish or water, unsanitary conditions, noxious weeds, unsafe trees or growth, and graffiti.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. For the local rules or complaint route, use [Enforcement](https://squamish.ca/public-safety-services/bylaws-and-enforcement/enforcement/). Write down the civic address or nearest identifiable location. Describe the material, vegetation or structure you are concerned about and how long you have observed it.\n2. Report the condition through the local complaint channel. If you include a photograph, explain when it was taken and which part of the property it shows.\n3. Call Squamish Bylaw Enforcement at 604-815-5067. Describe the condition and its effect on your property.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Accumulated refuse, unsanitary conditions or noxious weeds each carry a $200 notice ($180 within 14 days, $220 after 28 days). Causing or permitting graffiti carries $500 ($450 early, $550 late).\n- Return Squamish’s bylaw notice dispute form within 14 days to ask for review.\n- Keep a copy of what you submitted. Use the same address and any reference number if you later have more information about the original complaint.\n- Read the applicable provisions in [Bylaw Notice Dispute Form (PDF)](https://squamish.ca/assets/Uploads/f823d27b04/Bylaw-Notice-Dispute-Form.pdf) and [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2418, 2015 (PDF)](https://squamish.civicweb.net/document/200801).","sources":[{"url":"https://squamish.ca/public-safety-services/bylaws-and-enforcement/enforcement/","title":"Enforcement","accessed":"2026-11-09"},{"url":"https://squamish.ca/public-safety-services/bylaws-and-enforcement/","title":"Bylaws and Enforcement","accessed":"2026-11-09"},{"url":"https://squamish.ca/assets/Uploads/f823d27b04/Bylaw-Notice-Dispute-Form.pdf","title":"Bylaw Notice Dispute Form (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-09"},{"url":"https://squamish.civicweb.net/document/200801","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2418, 2015 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-09"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-09","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 3 of 5 facts was matched to the official text; 2 could not be confirmed."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/squamish/unsightly-property/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/squamish/unsightly-property.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/squamish/unsightly-property.json"}}