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COVID-19

New mandatory public health measures are in effect across Alberta to protect the health system and slow the spread of COVID-19. Learn more at edmonton.ca/COVID-19.

Development, Licence & Construction COVID-19 Service Change

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Updated December 11, 2020

The COVID-19 situation presents an unpredictable and unique scenario, and the health and safety of our staff, Edmontonians and industry partners remains our top priority. 

With that said, we’re working hard to maintain as many services as possible so you can still get the things you need. Some operations, however, have required adjustments to accommodate the direction of Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. 

Effective Tuesday March 24, the Edmonton Service Centre on the 2nd Floor of the Edmonton Tower is closed to in-person services. Please refer to the information below on alternate ways to access the City's permit and licensing services, such as online, by mail or phone, as well as additional service adjustments due to the COVID-19 situation.

Please visit edmonton.ca/COVID-19 for more information on the City’s response efforts.

Service Adjustments

The below information is subject to change given the evolving COVID-19 situation. We will update this page with further changes as they occur. 

Business Licensing

Applying
Most Commercial and Home Based Business licence applications or renewals can be made online.  

Business Licence Fee Reductions
To help support businesses experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 situation, the City is offering a 50 per cent business licence fee reduction upon request for businesses that renew or apply for a new business licence between June 1 and December 31, 2020. To request the fee reduction, please renew or apply for your new licence by calling 780-442-5311 or emailing businesslicenceapplications@edmonton.ca.  

Payments

  • By phone at 780-442-5054 (credit card only)
  • Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)
  • By mail

Credit card payments will only be accepted for payments under $5,000, and EFT will only be accepted for payments over $5,000.

New Mandatory Public Health Measures
On December 8, 2020 the Government of Alberta announced new mandatory public health measures for businesses, which come into effect on December 13, 2020 to help curb the rapid spread of COVID-19. For details, visit COVID-19 info for Albertans. 

COVID-19 Business Support
We know that businesses have been impacted by COVID-19 and this has been extremely challenging for you. Please visit the City’s COVID-19 business support webpage for information on steps the City is taking to support business owners.

Temporary Patios, Sidewalk Cafes and Outdoor Retail Expansions
Effective December 13, 2020, all restaurants, pubs, bars, lounges and cafes must close to in-person service. This includes all temporary outdoor patios and sidewalk cafes. Take out, curbside pickup and delivery services are allowed. Outdoor retail expansions may continue provided they follow the Province’s requirement to reduce customer capacity to 15% of fire code occupancy.

Reporting Health Order Violation Concerns
The City will support the new restrictions announced by the province by continuing to activate our enforcement teams.

Through close coordination with Alberta Health Services (AHS) and Edmonton Police Service (EPS), teams of Peace Officers will work 7 days a week to support Face Covering bylaw enforcement and Public Health Order enforcement. While enforcement has occurred throughout the pandemic, the City will now concentrate our efforts on public spaces, gatherings and businesses.

For complaints on face coverings, vehicle-for-hire services, outdoor spaces, playgrounds and dog parks, use the City of Edmonton general complaint form. For complaints on self-isolation restrictions, mass gatherings, workplaces or businesses not complying with closures please visit the AHS Complaints form.

For physical distancing concerns, use the City of Edmonton physical distancing form. NOTE: This form is only for analyzing changing trends, not for enforcement. 

Questions?
Please contact businesslicenceapplications@edmonton.ca or 780-442-5054

Development Permits, Building Permits and Trade Permits

How to Apply

Apply Online

Where applications are not available online, please use the contact methods provided on the website or call 311 for assistance.

Please check our new online dashboard for current building permit and inspection request intake processing time estimates. For Development Permit application processing times, call 311 or 780-442-5311 (Outside Edmonton). 

In order to maintain existing application processing timelines and service levels, development-related services will continue to be provided on a fee for service model at this time.

Payments

Payments can be made by phone (780-442-5054), Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) or by mail. Credit card payments will only be accepted for payments under $5,000, and EFT will only be accepted for payments over $5,000.

Pre Application Meetings

Pre-Application meetings and Home Improvement Permit Appointments will be done through teleconference only.

Temporary Patios, Sidewalk Cafes and Outdoor Retail Expansions

Rules around temporary patios, sidewalk cafes and outdoor retail expansions are relaxed so you can create more space for your customers in alignment with Alberta Health Services (AHS) guidelines. You have the option to expand your patio or retail space by following a set of guidelines and signing a declaration form. Read the guidelines and proceed with signing the declaration form.

 

Compliance Certificates

Compliance Certificate applications can be made online or by mail to Edmonton Service Centre, 2nd Floor, 10111 104 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 0J4.

This certificate confirms that all buildings and structures identified on the property have met the regulations under the Zoning Bylaw and have the appropriate development permits. Once reviewed, the applicant will receive a Compliance Certificate Report via email from the City of Edmonton. 

Search of records applications can be made online, by mail or by emailing the pdf application form to searchofrecords@edmonton.ca. 

Payments can be made by phone (780-442-5054), Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) or by mail. Credit card payments will only be accepted for payments under $5,000, and EFT will only be accepted for payments over $5,000.

Inspections

To protect the health and safety of our staff and help prevent the spread of COVID-19, we’ve made the below changes to our development, building and trade permit inspection processes.

Scheduling

Available Online
Building and trade permit inspections can be scheduled online using self serve accounts or by calling 311.

Development permit inspections can be requested by emailing  developmentpermitinspections@edmonton.ca

The City is proceeding with lot grading, transportation and landscaping inspections as weather allows. These inspections can be requested through the usual email, ePlan or online request form processes depending on the inspection. We will update you should this decision change due to the COVID-19 situation.

In-person inspections

In-person inspections will not be permitted for occupied residential or commercial sites, with the exception of inspections for some utility service disruptions in occupied homes and businesses, or for unoccupied construction sites where:

  • Distancing safeguards are unsatisfactory
  •  Anyone (such as, contractor, homeowner) has been asked to self-isolate, or is showing cold or flu symptoms
  • Anyone has returned to Canada from outside the country since March 12 and has not yet completed the required 14-day self isolation period (for further direction given this rapidly-changing situation, please refer to the Info for Travellers and Airline Passengers section on Alberta.ca)

Permit holders at locations where these conditions may apply are requested to reschedule inspections for a later time or consider the below virtual inspection options where applicable.  Please use the online self-serve inspection scheduling tool under the 'INSPECTIONS' heading on your project dashboard, or call 311.

Virtual inspections

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and keep Edmontonians, contractors and City inspectors safe, the City is now offering virtual inspection options for certain construction projects.

  • Remote Video Inspections (RVI) are available for building and trade permit (HVAC, plumbing, gas and electrical) inspections of occupied spaces within occupied residential and commercial locations. This includes, but is not limited to, projects such as interior alterations, basement developments, additions without a separate entrance, and occupied commercial locations where distancing or other safety protocols cannot be met. RVI enables virtual inspections through connected cellular mobile devices: one operated at the building location by the permit holder and the other by a Safety Codes Officer at a different location.
  • Verification of Compliance (VOC) is available for re-inspection of corrected safety codes deficiencies from an earlier inspection. This method involves a self-declaration and photographic supporting evidence that the identified deficiencies of a previous inspection have been rectified.

Permit holders can request RVIs or re-inspection through photographic evidence by:

  • Using the SelfServe portal and going to the project's inspections tab 
  • Calling 311

Current building permit and inspection request intake processing time estimates are available on our online dashboard. In-person inspections will continue to be required for unoccupied residential and commercial construction sites, most utility service disruptions in occupied homes and businesses, and exterior structures (eg. decks).

Land Development Applications (LDAs)

Applying for LDAs (rezonings, plan amendments, and road closures):

Apply Online

Applicants will be sent an invoice on receipt of a file being accepted.

Payments: By phone at 780-442-5054 (credit card only), Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) or by mail. Credit card payments will only be accepted for payments under $5,000, and EFT will only be accepted for payments over $5,000.

Pre-Application meetings will continue to be conducted via teleconference only.

Public Hearings

The City is hosting remote Public Hearings to deal with land use matters. The City will contact applicants scheduled for Public Hearing dates directly to provide further information. 

Engagement Sessions

All City-led in-person public engagement events and information sessions have been postponed until further notice. Feedback is being accepted for certain land development applications through the City's new online Engaged Edmonton virtual engagement tool. 

OSCAM Payments

Apply Online

Servicing Agreements, Engineering Drawing Applications

If you have an account set up:

Apply Online

To create an account, email development.coordination@edmonton.ca.

Servicing agreements will be provided digitally to developers for execution.

Servicing Agreement Extensions

The City will be providing flexibility around servicing agreement deadlines. Developers can contact the Servicing Agreement team at development.coordination@edmonton.ca or the development engineer for the file to discuss extension requests.

Development Bonds

Effective immediately, the City of Edmonton is now accepting development bonds for all new servicing agreements for the 2020 construction season. This will allow developers another option for security, as the City previously only accepted irrevocable letters of credit issued by a bank, or cash security.

To apply for a development bond for your new servicing agreement, please:

Existing Servicing Agreement Securities

Effective July 2, the City of Edmonton is now accepting development bonds for select servicing agreements. Developers who meet the following criteria will be eligible to replace existing security with development bonds:

  • Existing security of $1 million or more
  • Current servicing agreements executed after January 1, 2014

We will contact eligible developers while developing the next phase of the program, which will scale rollout to the remaining 500+ agreements. An initial fee of $500 will be required for this service; however, the fee amount will be reviewed as the program progresses and may be adjusted to reflect the service cost. 

Questions?
Please contact the development engineer for your file directly or email development.coordination@edmonton.ca

Subdivision Applications & Endorsements

Apply Online

Or by emailing subdivisions@edmonton.ca.

Endorsement packages will be mailed to applicants, as pick up is no longer available.

Pre-application meetings will continue to be conducted via teleconference only.

Payments: By phone at 780-442-5054 (credit card only), Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) or by mail. Credit card payments will only be accepted for payments under $5,000, and EFT will only be accepted for payments over $5,000.

Questions? Email subdivisions@edmonton.ca.

Subdivision & Development Appeal Board (SDAB) Appeals

The Subdivision and Development Appeal Board is offering alternate arrangements to in person hearings.

If you have a hearing that is scheduled, you will be contacted by the SDAB. 

Visit edmonton.ca/sdab for further updates.

Temporary Outdoor Patios, Sidewalk Cafes and Retail Expansions - City of Edmonton

Rules around temporary patios, sidewalk cafes and outdoor retail expansions are relaxed so you can create more space for your customers in alignment with Alberta Health Services (AHS) guidelines. Until the end of 2020, you have the option to expand your patio or retail space by following a set of guidelines and signing a declaration form. Read the guidelines and proceed with signing the declaration form.

Vehicle for Hire Licence Applications

Applying
Submit all Vehicle For Hire Licence applications to businesslicenceapplications@edmonton.ca 

Payments:
By phone at 780-442-5054 (credit card only), Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) or by mail. Credit card payments will only be accepted for payments under $5,000, and EFT will only be accepted for payments over $5,000.

Dispatch and Vehicle Licence Fee Reductions

On October 5, 2020, City Council approved a 100% reduction in 2020 dispatch and vehicle licence fees for limousines and a 50% reduction in these fees for all other vehicles for hire.

The fee reductions will be applied when licensees renew their dispatch and vehicle licences or apply for a new licence. For licensees who have already paid their 2020 fees, a credit will be applied to their 2021 fees. The fee reductions are one way the City is helping to relieve concerns about financial strain raised by the industry due to COVID-19.

Vehicle for Hire Service Restrictions
The City of Edmonton issued a State of Local Emergency Order on April 1, 2020, which outlined requirements to support taxi, limo and ride share operators and drivers in reducing the risk of transmission of COVID-19 . This order was repealed as of May 25, 2020. 

The Government of Alberta has since issued new guidance documents for taxi, limo and ride share operators. The Chief Medical Officer of Health’s Order 18-2020 requires businesses to comply to the extent possible with these guidelines.

Reporting Bylaw and Physical Distancing Concerns
Citizens who have concerns about COVID-19 order violations can submit their complaints online. 

Questions?
Contact vehicleforhire@edmonton.ca or 780-442-5054.

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