FVRD – The Fraser Valley Regional District Board is concerned about the serious negative impacts associated with unregulated soil deposit in our Electoral Area communities and environments. To address this issue, the Board is considering the adoption of a bylaw to regulate soil deposit in the Electoral Areas of the Fraser Valley Regional District. FVRD Electoral Soil Deposit Bylaw No. 1802, 2025 was given 1st and 2nd readings by the FVRD Board on September 18, 2025.
In 2024, there were environmental concerns after an illegal dump site on a Cultus Lake area property, had Columbia Valley residents up in arms.
This bylaw will regulate soil deposits in various ways, including:
- Establishing permitting requirements and permit conditions for three classes of soil deposit activities:
- Type A – under 100 cubic metres/year
- Type B -100 cubic metres – 1000 cubic metres/year
- Type C – over 100 cubic metres/year
- Requiring permit holders to maintain a logbook of all soil deposited and submit monthly volume reports
- Setting out 13 exemptions from the need for a permit; and,
- Prohibiting soil deposit over wells and septic fields and from obstructing, impairing, or impeding the flow of streams.
Once adopted, this bylaw will apply to all soil deposit activities, both new and ongoing. There will be no grandfathering of activities that may have commenced prior to the bylaw adoption. All soil-related operations must comply fully with the bylaw once it is in effect.
The draft bylaw can be reviewed in full here: FVRD Electoral Area Soil Deposit Bylaw, No. 1802, 2025.
The Fraser Valley Regional District Board is inviting public comment on the draft bylaw. Please submit your comments into the discussion forum.
