Financing growth
Burnaby is on pace to continue to grow over the next 25 years. As more residents and employers call Burnaby home , the city will need new and improved infrastructure and services, such as roads and sidewalks, water, drainage and sewer services. We will also need new parks, recreation and community centres, senior and youth centres and child care facilities.
To support this growth and the associated development, the City uses a combination of financing tools as part of its Development Funding Program (DFP) to ensure that infrastructure and amenities are available for future generations. Developments of all sizes contribute to these community assets and help finance growth. The rates reflect the corresponding impact the development will have on infrastructure—the greater the impact, the larger the contribution. The DFP is built on 2 complementary principles of growth paying for growth, and shared value. Well-planned growth can benefit communities and their economies. The community, the development sector and the city all benefit from the increased value created through growth, which includes funding amenities to support a growing community.
The DFP includes, but is not limited to the following tools:
Development cost charges
Development cost charges {DCCs) are one-time fees levied on new development when a building permit is issued, or a subdivision is approved for new development as applicable. They can be used to help offset the capital cost of new infrastructure related to new development, such as transportation, water, drainage, and sewer infrastructure projects, fire protection facilities, and parkland acquisition and improvements.
The City of Burnaby collects DCCs for the purpose of providing funds to assist with general road and infrastructure projects, and in acquiring parkland. The City has updated its DCC Program and has introduced a new Development Cost Charges Bylaw which aligns with recent changes to provincial legislation related to development financing. The new DCC Bylaw received final adoption on June 24, 2024, and is effective on July 1, 2024.
New development cost charge bylaws are subject to the following “in-stream” provisions as determined by Sections 511 or 568 under the Local Government Act:
For subdivision applications:
Local Government Act – Bylaws adopted after application for subdivision submitted
511(1) This section applies in relation to a bylaw under this Part that is adopted after
- (b) an application for a subdivision of land within a municipality has been submitted to a designated municipal officer and the applicable subdivision fee has been paid.
(2) If the bylaw would otherwise be applicable to the subdivision, the bylaw has no effect with respect to that subdivision for a period of 12 months after the bylaw is adopted.
(3)Subsection (2) does not apply if the applicant agrees in writing that the bylaw should have effect with respect to the subdivision.
For building permit applications:
Local Government Act – Effect of bylaws adopted after application for rezoning, development permit or building permit submitted
568(2) Subject to subsection (3), a development cost charge bylaw that would otherwise be applicable to the construction, alteration or extension of a building or structure has no effect with respect to that construction, alteration or extension if
- (a) the building permit authorizing that construction, alteration or extension is issued within 12 months after the date the bylaw is adopted, and
- (b) a precursor application to that building permit is in-stream on the date the bylaw is adopted.
For additional information on the development cost charges:
Amenity cost charges
In November 2023, the new provincial housing legislation introduced a new amenity cost charges (ACC) development financing tool to help pay for new amenities in our community. ACCs can be used to help offset the cost of building amenities related to growth such as recreational and community centres, libraries and child care facilities.
ACCs are one-time fees levied on all new development when a building permit is issued, or a subdivision is approved for new development, as applicable. ACC will be charged once the new ACC bylaw is adopted (June 24, 2024) and will come to effect July 1, 2024.
The City’s new amenity cost charge bylaw is subject to the following “in-stream” provisions under the Local Government Act:
For subdivision applications:
Local Government Act – Bylaws adopted after application for subdivision submitted
511(1) This section applies in relation to a bylaw under this Part that is adopted after
- (b) an application for a subdivision of land within a municipality has been submitted to a designated municipal officer and the applicable subdivision fee has been paid.
(2) If the bylaw would otherwise be applicable to the subdivision, the bylaw has no effect with respect to that subdivision for a period of 12 months after the bylaw is adopted.
(3)Subsection (2) does not apply if the applicant agrees in writing that the bylaw should have effect with respect to the subdivision.
For building permit applications:
Local Government Act – Effect of bylaws adopted after application for rezoning, development permit or building permit submitted
570.91(2) An initial amenity cost charge bylaw that would otherwise be applicable to the construction, alteration or extension of a building or structure has no effect with respect to that construction, alteration or extension if a precursor application to the building permit authorizing that construction, alteration or extension is in-stream on the date the initial bylaw is adopted.
For additional information on the amenity cost charges:
| DCC and ACC Rates (effective July 1, 2024) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation | Water | Drainage | Sanitary Sewer | Parks | Fire Facilities | Total Proposed DCC | Proposed ACC | Total Proposed DCC + ACC |
|
| Low Density Residential (per primary dwelling unit / lot) |
$16,858.00 | $2,740.00 | $5,734.00 | $3,491.00 | $20,632.00 | $5,415.00 | $54,870.00 | $26,963.00 | $81,833.00 |
| Medium Density Residential (per dwelling unit) |
$10,438.00 | $1,918.00 | $4,391.00 | $2,443.00 | $14,442.00 | $3,791.00 | $37,423.00 | $18,874.00 | $56,297.00 |
| High Density Residential (per dwelling unit) |
$6,994.00 | $1,370.00 | $2,227.00 | $1,745.00 | $10,316.00 | $2,708.00 | $25,360.00 | $13,481.00 | $38,841.00 |
| Commercial (per m2 gross floor area) |
$159.71 | $6.17 | $26.73 | $7.85 | $46.42 | $12.18 | $259.06 | $60.67 | $319.73 |
| Industrial (per m2 gross floor area) |
$59.50 | $4.11 | $35.00 | $5.24 | $0.00 | $8.12 | $111.97 | $40.44 | $152.41 |
| Institutional (per m2 gross floor area) |
$104.38 | $6.17 | $52.82 | $7.85 | $0.00 | $12.18 | $183.40 | $60.67 | $244.07 |
Definitions:
Low Density Residential: residential development consisting of one building that contains no more than 2 primary dwelling units and any secondary suite(s), including a single-family dwelling and any secondary suite, or a duplex dwelling and any secondary suite(s).
Medium Density Residential: ground-oriented residential development, including laneway homes, townhouse dwellings, rowhouse dwellings and multiplex dwellings.
High Density Residential: development of a residential building which contains multiple dwelling units accessible via a common hallway or corridor and shared entrance facilities and includes apartments.
Density bonusing
Density bonusing is a voluntary program whereby developers seek and obtain approval for additional density above the base density in a zone at the time of rezoning. The Community Benefit Bonus Policy is one financing tool available to the City to help finance and develop public amenities that maintain and increase our quality of life. It enables the provision of additional residential densities within our town centres where community amenities or a cash-in-lieu contributions are provided. In doing so, the policy plays a key role in serving our growing communities.
Charges collected on behalf of other authorities
The City also collects charges and levies on behalf of other authorities including Metro Vancouver, TransLink and School District 41.
The City collects these levies on behalf of Metro Vancouver, which are charged for the Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District (GVS & DD) and Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD), to help finance the construction or expansion of regional water, sewer and drainage projects. Learn more on the Metro Vancouver website:
The City collects the Regional Transportation Development Cost Charges (RTDCCs) on behalf of TransLink. These DCCs are charged for new developments in the Transportation Service Region to help fund the construction or expansion of projects in TransLink’s Investment Plan. Learn more on the TransLink website:
The City collects school site acquisition charges on all new residential developments on behalf of Burnaby School District 41. The levy is used to assist in the recovery of the costs associated with the future acquisition of land for new school sites, and is levied at subdivision or building permit, as applicable. Learn more about SSAC on the provincial website:
Have questions?
For information on the recent legislative changes, please refer to the provincial government website and for information on how the changes impact housing in Burnaby, please visit our Burnaby Impacts of Provincial Legislation Changes webpage.
If you have any questions, comments, or general feedback regarding the implementation of the above changes, please contact us: