Commercial Building Inspections

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Building inspections for commercial, industrial and multi-unit residential buildings.

Includes new buildings and tenant improvements.

For building permit application requirements see:

Signed C-schedules must be submitted a minimum 2 business days prior to requesting a final inspection.

All trade permit inspections must be completed prior to requesting a final building inspection.

Important Information

Pending request volumes, inspections may not occur on the date requested.
Due to the “spot check” and “point in time” nature of inspections, safety codes officers will not review all work in all areas.
A limited number of inspections are included in the value of a permit. See Which Inspections Do I Need? for more information.

Service Overview

Fees

Base inspection costs are included in permit fees. See Additional Fees for more information on costs for additional inspections.

Fee Type	Fee
Minimum Fee	$270
Applied to the construction value⁽¹⁾ up to $1,000,000	$11 per $1,000 of construction value
Applied to the portion of the construction value exceeding $1,000,000	$9.87 per $1,000 of construction value

⁽¹⁾Construction value is defined as the total cost of materials and services. Construction value does not include: landscaping, parking lots, sidewalks, furnishings, appliances, interior window coverings, temporary service connections, insurance or bonding, interim financing, permit fees, professional consulting fees, GST.

Note: The Safety code fee is 4% of the permit cost with a minimum of $4.50 and a maximum of $560.

For more information see the 2023 Building and Trade Permit Fees effective January 1, 2023.

Additional Fees

Permit Cancellation

Requests to cancel a permit once a permit has been issued are charged a $110 fee. Refunds must be greater than $10 to be processed.

Additional Inspection Fee

Fee	Safety Codes Fee⁽¹⁾	Total
$270	$10.16	$274.16

The additional inspection fee is applied in each scenario:

(1) Deficiencies

Address not located on site, building, or suite as per City bylaws. For more information, see Commercial Construction Address Sign Standards.
Immediate building access not provided
Site is not safe to access
Project not ready for inspection
Incorrect type of inspection requested
A previously identified deficiency has not been corrected

(2) Repeated Inspections Due to Failures

The value of a permit includes 2 attempts to pass for a single type of inspection. The additional fee is charged for third inspection, and every subsequent inspection.

(3) Additional Inspections

The value of a permit includes a limited number of inspections. Additional inspections requested by contractors are charged the additional fee.

(4) Failure to Cancel an Inspection Prior to Deadline

Requests to cancel an inspection must be provided before noon on the business day prior to the inspection date.
If a request for cancellation is not provided prior to the deadline, the additional fee will be charged.

For more information see the 2022 Building and Trade Permit Fees , effective until December 31, 2022.

The 2023 Building and Trade Permit Fees become effective January 1, 2023.

Timelines

Request inspections by visiting the project dashboard in selfserve.edmonton.ca.
Inspections can be requested based on the capacity of a given day and are typically completed on the requested day.

To minimize delays for final inspections ensure:

All associated trade permit inspections completed
C-schedules are correct and submitted a minimum 2 business days prior to the desired inspection date. See C-Schedules Checklist for more information.

Inspections

Many inspections fail or are delayed due to preventable causes such as:

C-schedules are incorrect or incomplete
Combustible materials located on construction site during final inspection
Construction work still ongoing and could potentially cause harm to other people.

Use the checklists to ensure your inspections have the best chance of success.

C-Schedules Checklist

Signed C-schedules must be submitted a minimum 2 business days prior to requesting a final inspection.

Many inspections are delayed due to incorrect or incomplete C-schedules. To minimize delays ensure:

C-schedules are signed, correct and complete:

Address is correct, including suite number
Project number is correct
C-schedules match A and B schedules
- If engineering or architectural firms have changed over the course of the project, new A and B schedules must be submitted.

Appropriate documents are included:

Fire Alarm System Verification Form (for projects involving alterations or additions)
AEDARSA approval for each elevator or escalator. Sample AEDARSA Approval Permit of Operation
Fire Suppression Systems Test (FSST) approval (projects involving kitchen hoods or fire suppression system changes)

Inspection Checklists

Final Inspection

C-schedules and other documents submitted a minimum 2 business days prior to requested inspection date. See C-schedule checklist for a list of required documents.
Work is complete and work site does not resemble a construction site
Site is safe to access by the general public:
- Combustible materials (wood, paint, gas, propane) removed from site
- Construction materials and equipment removed from site
- Hard surface is available to access front door
- Handrails and fall guards installed (temporary measures permitted)
Fire suppression systems are in place:
- Life safety devices are operational
- Protective caps removed from detectors
- Tape/clips removed from sprinkler heads
- Fire rating door labels are visible
- Door closers installed on fire-rated doors
- Exit signage is in place
- Fire extinguishers are installed
- Emergency lighting is operational
Paper copies of permits and City-stamped plans available on site
Authorized alternative solution form available on site (if applicable)

Fire Separation Inspection

Fire stopping work is complete for a specific area
Fire stopping catalogue details are available on site
Installer’s fire stopping certification
Fire stopping installation date
Hallway/corridor/party wall separations are in place behind bulkheads or dropped ceilings
Shafts are drywalled and taped (two layers of fireguard typically required)
Fire extinguisher cabinets are drywalled and taped (two layers of fireguard typically required)
Fire dampers are installed correctly
Paper copies of permits and City-stamped plans available on site

Interim/Partial Inspections

The following documents must be submitted a minimum 2 business days prior to requesting the inspection:

Signed C-schedules
- C-schedules identify areas to be inspected
Key plan identifies areas to be inspected
Updated Fire Safety Plan
- Construction Fire Safety Plan For Major Projects - For new buildings, additions, exterior alterations and full-building demolitions
- Construction Site Fire Safety Plan for Renovations - For renovations and interior demolitions

The following items must be in place prior to requesting the inspection:

Paper copies of permits and City-stamped plans available on site
If life safety devices (fire alarm and sprinkler systems) are not operational, an approved fire watch issued by Fire Rescue Services must be in place.

Preliminary Inspection

Paper copies of permits and City-stamped plans are on site
Note: It is the responsibility of the site contact to document comments provided by the Safety Codes Officer during a preliminary inspection. After completion of the inspection the site contact should send an email summary of the Safety Codes Officer’s comments to all relevant parties, including the Safety Codes Officer, project owner and/or general contractor, professional consultants.

Addressing, Access, Safety Checklists

Address is Correct And Clearly Displayed

Contact the building permit holder to confirm the correct site address
Ensure construction address signs conform to City standards:
- Clearly visible from the street
- Suite number is included
- Affixed to the building; sandwich board -type signs are not acceptable
- For more information, see Construction Address Sign Standards.

Site Is Accessible

Site access instructions include lockbox numbers, site details, and directions,

or,

A site contact is available at the entrance to provide immediate access during business hours (8am-4pm). Safety Codes Officers will not call ahead to provide notice of an inspection.

Site is Safe to Access

Common areas (hallways, stairwells, parkades) are clean and free of debris
Hard surface is available from the building to the sidewalk
Handrails/guardrails are installed on walking surfaces over 3 feet in height
Barriers are installed around open pits
Uncontrolled hazards are not present (example: crane or man-lift is not located above work site)
Exterior windows/doors and glazing are installed
Site roadways are accessible by fire trucks

Which Inspections Do I Need?

Projects with a construction value under $50,000 typically receive one inspection: final inspection.

Projects with a construction value between $50,000 - $200,000 typically receive two inspections: a preliminary or interim inspection, and a final inspection.

Projects with a construction value exceeding $200,000 require 3 - 5 inspections, based on project complexity. Inspection types include fire stopping/separation inspections, preliminary or interim inspections and final inspection.

Additional inspections requested by contractors will be charged additional fees. See Additional Fees for more details.

Cancelling Your Inspection

You can request a cancellation online, by calling 311, or if outside Edmonton, calling 780-442-5311.

Requests to cancel an inspection must be provided before noon on the business day prior to the inspection date.

If a request for cancellation is not provided prior to the deadline, the full value of the inspection will be charged.

Request Your Inspection

The following items must be completed prior to requesting an inspection.

The following information is required to request an inspection:

12-digit permit number (example: 123456789-001) or correct site address
Site contact name and phone number
Instructions for entry (lockbox code, directions to correct building, etc.)
- Example: “Meet site contact at trailer on the north-east corner of the site.”
Type of inspection requested
Specifics of the area to be inspected
- For example: “Inspection requested for floors 1-3 including all common areas and parkade.”

Note: Pending request volumes, inspections may not occur on the date requested.

Request Online
To request by telephone, call 311 or 780-442-5311 if calling outside Edmonton.

Frequently Asked Questions

How will I be notified when an inspection will occur?

Safety Codes Officers will not call ahead or provide advance notice of an inspection.

When requesting an inspection the site supervisors must ensure sites are available and access is immediate.

Advance notice of an inspection is only provided when additional agencies are attending the inspection.

Why was my inspection not conducted today?

Pending request volumes, inspections may not occur on the date requested.

Why was a deficiency not noticed by a previous inspector?

The purpose of a safety codes inspection is to provide a visual audit for compliance to applicable codes and standards.

Safety codes officers review select work site areas to conduct assessments.

Due to the “spot check” and “point in time” nature of inspections, Safety Codes Officers will not review all work in all areas.

Why did my inspection fail?

A deficiency report outlining the reasons for a failed inspection is sent immediately following the inspection. Deficiencies are also identified on the inspection sticker.

For questions about a failed inspection report:

Review the inspection sticker
Review the deficiency report
Call 780-496-3140 with the following information:
- Text written on the inspection sticker
- Deficiency report
- Permit number associated with the inspection

Note: Deficiencies will not be detailed when more than 4 infractions are found.

Who should I contact for advice on fixing deficiencies?

The purpose of a safety codes inspection is to provide a visual audit for compliance to applicable codes and standards.

It is the responsibility of licensed professionals employed by contractors to ensure thorough knowledge and application of safety codes standards.

Safety Codes Officers:

Will confirm whether proposed (complete) solutions meet code standards.
Will not provide advice related to technical questions

Contractors should consult with the engineer or architect associated with the project to resolve technical questions.

When does my permit expire?

Permits expire:

90 days from the date of permit issuance if construction has not started, or
24 months from the date of permit issuance.

For More Information

Edmonton Service Centre

2nd Floor, 10111 104 Avenue NW
Edmonton, AB T5J 0J4

Telephone

In Edmonton: 311
Outside Edmonton: 780-442-5311

Email	buildingic@edmonton.ca