{"title":"Telkwa unsightly property rules and how to report","question":"How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property in Telkwa?","slug":"unsightly-property","place":{"path":"ca/bc/telkwa","name":"Telkwa","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":"Village of Telkwa","url":"https://www.telkwa.ca"},"short_answer":"In Telkwa, report an unsightly property to the Village Office at 250-846-5212 or info@telkwa.ca. The Good Neighbour Bylaw bans accumulated rubbish, derelict vehicles, noxious weeds and similar conditions. The ticket is $159.45 for most offences.","aliases":["unsightly property telkwa","overgrown yard telkwa","junk vehicle telkwa","good neighbour bylaw telkwa"],"cost":"Ticket: unsightly property $159.45; rubbish $159.45; noxious weeds $159.45; derelict vehicle $318.90; unsanitary conditions $265.75; graffiti $531.50.","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Village Office","value":"250-846-5212","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.)"},{"type":"email","label":"Village Office and bylaw complaints","value":"info@telkwa.ca"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Village Office","value":"1415 Hankin Ave, Telkwa, BC V0J 2X0"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 587, 2008 (PDF)","url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/6164/"},{"title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 792, 2025 (PDF)","url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/36216/"}],"related":[{"slug":"noise-rules","title":"Telkwa noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/noise-rules/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/smithers","name":"Smithers","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/houston","name":"Houston","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/granisle","name":"Granisle","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/new-hazelton","name":"New Hazelton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/terrace","name":"Terrace","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/kitimat","name":"Kitimat","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kitimat/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 and occupiers must not let noxious, offensive or unwholesome material (refuse, junk, derelict vehicles) collect, let property become or stay unsightly, or allow standing water, unsanitary conditions, noxious weeds, or trees or growth that are a safety hazard. Graffiti and dumping on a highway are also banned.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/6164/","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 587, 2008 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","section":"ss. 4, 5, 6","quotes":["No owner or occupier shall cause or permit noxious, offensive or unwholesome material to collect or accumulate on or around the property of that owner or occupier.","No owner or occupier shall allow their property to become or to remain unsightly.","No person shall place graffiti in such a manner as to be visible from a highway, public place or other property."]},{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/6164/","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 587, 2008 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","section":"ss. 8, 9","quotes":["to store up to two (2) derelict vehicles visible from another property, highway, or other public place provided that the only reason the derelict vehicle is derelict is because it is unlicensed"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"how_to_report":{"label":"How to report","value":"Call the Village Office (250-846-5212) or email info@telkwa.ca. Complaints must be in written form (in person, by mail, electronically) or by phone to be valid.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.telkwa.ca/bylaw","title":"Bylaws, Village of Telkwa","section":"Bylaw Complaints","quotes":["If you would like to submit a complaint, you can do so by calling the Village Office or sending an email to info(at)telkwa.ca"]},{"url":"https://www.telkwa.ca/bylaws-policies","title":"Bylaws and Policies, Village of Telkwa","section":"Bylaws and Policies page","quotes":["Any complaints involving alleged violations of a Bylaw must be submitted in written form in person, through mail, electronically or by phone to be considered valid."]},{"url":"https://www.telkwa.ca/contact","title":"Contact, Village of Telkwa","section":"Municipal Office","quotes":["Telkwa, BC V0J 2X0 Phone: 250-846-5212","Fax: 250-846-9572 Email: info@telkwa.ca"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"process":{"label":"What happens next","value":"The Bylaw Enforcement Officer may give notice requiring compliance within a stated time. If ignored, Council may order compliance after the owner has a chance to be heard. If the order is ignored, the Village may do the work and recover the cost from the owner or occupier.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/6164/","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 587, 2008 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","section":"ss. 16 to 19","quotes":["by notice, require the owner or occupier of the property to comply with this Bylaw within a time period stated in the notice","the Council shall give an opportunity to the owner or occupier of the property to appear before Council to be heard","may take action under section 17 of the Community Charter to fulfill the requirements of the order and to recover the costs from the owner or occupier of the property"]},{"url":"https://www.telkwa.ca/bylaw","title":"Bylaws, Village of Telkwa","section":"Bylaw Complaints","quotes":["In most cases, the Village will seek voluntary compliance first before invoking various enforcement methods."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Unsightly property $159.45; rubbish accumulating $159.45; noxious weeds $159.45; derelict vehicle $318.90; unsanitary conditions $265.75; graffiti $531.50.","short":"$159.45","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/36216/","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 792, 2025 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","section":"Schedule B, Good Neighbour Bylaw","quotes":["Permit Rubbish to Accumulate 4 $ 159.45","Allow Property to Become or Remain 5 $ 159.45","Place Graffiti 6 $ 531.50","Permit the Storage of Derelict Vehicles 8 $ 318.90","Permit Unsanitary Conditions 11 $ 265.75"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Village of Telkwa Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 587, 2008.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/6164/","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 587, 2008 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","section":"title","quotes":["GOOD NEIGHBOUR BYLAW NO. 587, 2008"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":5,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 587, 2008](<https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/6164/>) requires owners and occupiers not to let noxious, offensive or unwholesome material (refuse, junk, derelict vehicles) collect, and not to let property become or stay unsightly. It also covers standing water, unsanitary conditions, noxious weeds, and trees or growth that are a safety hazard. Graffiti and dumping on a highway are banned. Seasoned untreated firewood stored for use is excluded.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Call the Village Office (250-846-5212) or email info@telkwa.ca. A complaint must be in written form (in person, by mail, electronically) or by phone to be valid.\n2. The Bylaw Enforcement Officer may give notice requiring compliance within a stated time.\n3. If it is ignored, Council may order compliance after the owner has a chance to be heard.\n4. If that order is ignored, the Village may do the work and recover the cost from the owner or occupier.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Tickets under the [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 792, 2025](<https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/36216/>): $159.45 for unsightly property, rubbish and noxious weeds; $318.90 for a derelict vehicle; $265.75 for unsanitary conditions; $531.50 for graffiti.\n- Each day is a separate offence.","sources":[{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/6164/","title":"Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 587, 2008 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://telkwa.civicweb.net/document/36216/","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 792, 2025 (PDF), Village of Telkwa","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.telkwa.ca/bylaw","title":"Bylaws, Village of Telkwa","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.telkwa.ca/bylaws-policies","title":"Bylaws and Policies, Village of Telkwa","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.telkwa.ca/contact","title":"Contact, Village of Telkwa","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 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/unsightly-property/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/unsightly-property.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/unsightly-property.json"}}