Recreational docks in the Port of Vancouver
From Burrard Inlet to the Fraser River, recreational docks are a common sight in our waterfront communities. Many of these docks are along the hundreds of kilometres of shoreline that make up the Port of Vancouver and are within the jurisdiction of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.
All property owners with a recreational dock within the port authority’s jurisdiction require a licence from us while those who want to build a new recreational dock or work on their existing dock will also need to obtain a project permit through our Project and Environment Review (PER) process.
We define a recreational dock as a structure for mooring boats located immediately in front of an existing residential property. Recreational docks must be for non-commercial, private use only, and our licences grant non-exclusive use of an area.
Recreational docks in Burrard Inlet
In June 2020, we lifted a moratorium on recreational docks in Burrard Inlet and updated our guidelines and licence agreements. These changes affect the installation of new docks within the port authority’s navigational jurisdiction, as well as upgrades, maintenance and repairs to existing docks.
Our recreational dock program had been essentially unchanged for decades and it was necessary to update our licences and guidelines to modernize them and provide better measures to protect the local environment and safe shipping channels. The updated guidelines also provide design consistency for property owners and aim to ensure recreational docks within our navigational jurisdiction align with our land use plan and our Project and Environmental Review process.
If you have questions contact us directly at [email protected].