The City of Yellowknife is preparing to modernize its building bylaw, which is more than a decade old, and wants residents to provide input.
The bylaw, adopted in 2008, provides regulations and standards for the design, construction and remodelling of buildings in Yellowknife. It was updated in 2019 to implement energy efficiency standards.
City staff have drafted a new building bylaw that, the municipality says, will make the permitting process more “user-friendly,” advance actions on climate change, incorporate the latest National Building Code, and reduce construction costs.
Staff want to hear from both professionals in related industries and other members of the public before proceeding with changes to the bylaw. Residents can send questions or feedback by email.
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“I’m pretty pleased with everything that I’ve read and looked at in the draft,” councillor Niels Konge, a longtime construction professional in Yellowknife, said at a council meeting last month.
The completion of a new building bylaw will coincide with the city’s plan to update software this summer that allows people to submit paperwork related to construction online. The city says the new software, which allows online applications for the likes of permits and scheduling inspections, may reduce costs and shorten approval times.
