More topics

Site information

Last updated on January 12, 2023

Site registry

The Environmental Management Act (EMA) requires the establishment and maintenance of a registry that's accessible to the public and contains records about the identification, investigation and remediation of contaminated sites.

The site registry may contain information on the following:

  • Sites that are contaminated and sites that are not contaminated
  • Sites that may be at different stages of investigation or remediation
  • Sites that have been cleaned up to meet applicable remediation standards

The site registry can be a helpful resource for anyone interested in purchasing or developing a property.

Being informed about sites is an important part of complying with regulations and making informed business decisions about properties in B.C.

  • While we believe site registry information to be reliable, the Province of British Columbia makes no representation or warranty as to its accuracy or completeness
  • Persons using this information do so at their own risk
  • The existence or absence of information provides no assurance that a site is or is not contaminated

Information services

Information in the site registry can be accessed without a request under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA).

There are 2 ways to access site registry information:

  • Using BC Registries and Online Services
  • Site information requests

BC Registries and Online Services

BC Registries and Online Services provides immediate and convenient online access to government information, including the site registry. Individuals are encouraged to complete their own site registry searches. 

Each property in the site registry is identified by a unique number called a Site ID. Information about a single property or all sites in a certain geographical area can be found in the site registry. Search results can be displayed in either a site synopsis or site details report.

Site synopsis reports list basic location information for a site, such as civic address, latitude and longitude and site disclosure information, if available. Site details reports list all electronic site registry information available for a site, including notations, document titles, participants and site disclosure information, if available.

If necessary, ministry staff can complete a site registry search using the site information request process.

Site information requests

Applications can be submitted to:

  • Request site registry searches and reports
  • Obtain copies of documents referenced in the site registry
  • Request custom site registry searches

Site information requests involve the:

Responses to site information requests typically take 2 to 4 weeks.

Expand All | Collapse All
 

Document retrieval

Use this service to request documents listed in the site registry.

To retrieve documents, you must have previously completed a site registry search and be able to provide either the Site ID or Parcel Identifier Number (PID).

On the application form, list all the documents you wish to obtain with as much detail as possible, such as:

  • Document title
  • Date
  • Author
 

Custom reports

If you want the site registry searched and reported beyond the existing services provided through BC Registries and Online Services, a custom report can be requested.

For example, a custom report could be used to identify all sites on the site registry within a specified municipal boundary.

A clear, detailed description of your report criteria must be provided to the site information advisor, along with your application form.

 

Fees

You'll be invoiced for any applicable services fees, plus 5% GST after the requested service is complete.

Do not submit payment with your site information request application.

Fees for site registry searches and site synopsis, detailed and custom reports are established in Schedule 3: Contaminated Sites Regulation (CSR) and are in accordance with applicable sections of the Financial Administration Act.

For site registry searches performed by ministry staff, a $10 surcharge is added to the fee listed in Table 1, Schedule 3 of the CSR.

Fee details are listed on the site information request application form when you select a service.

 

FOIPPA requests

FOIPPA dictates what records can and cannot be released to the public.

A General Freedom of Information request is intended to provide access to general records that are not otherwise publicly available.

Examples of records could include briefing notes, contracts, or records about a specific activity of a non-personal nature.

Request Access to General Records

Other sources of information

Properties included in the site registry may be identified using the 'Environmental Remediation Sites' layer of iMapBC. 

Information on environmental conditions at sites in B.C. may also be available through the:

The information on this web page does not replace the legislative requirements in the EMA or its regulations and it does not list all provisions for contaminated site services.

If there are differences between this information and the Act, Regulation, or Protocols, the Act, Regulation, and Protocols apply.