Coquitlam charges on construction value, and Burke Mountain's slopes add a development-permit wrinkle. Here's what to budget and how not to apply to the wrong Tri-City.
Coquitlam sets building permit fees on value of construction — "the bigger the job, the higher the fee," in the city's own words — under its Fees and Charges Bylaw (Schedule D). It doesn't publish a simple one-line rate publicly, so budget on the ranges below and confirm with the Building Permits Division.
Plan on roughly 1–1.3% of construction value as a working range, plus plan-review fees, a damage deposit on many projects, and Development Cost Charges on new construction. A $50,000 renovation typically lands around $600–$1,000 before specialty fees.
New buildings, additions, structural changes, secondary suites, decks above grade, demolition, and plumbing work. Coquitlam has significant steep-slope and watercourse areas (Burke Mountain, the Coquitlam River corridor) that can trigger development permits — ask early. Electrical and gas are provincial through Technical Safety BC.
Typical residential permits run 6–12 weeks from a complete application; development-permit areas add time. Port Coquitlam and Port Moody are separate cities with their own offices — a "Tri-Cities" address isn't automatically Coquitlam.
| Purpose | Contact |
|---|---|
| Building Permits Division | 604-927-3441 |
| Planning & Development | DevInfo@coquitlam.ca |
| City Hall | 3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam, BC V3B 7N2 |