The Development and Engineering Services Department (DESD) is responsible for providing services to the community to ensure that buildings and infrastructure are constructed in a safe and environmentally sensitive manner.

DESD ensures that the use of land reflects the public's interest as expressed in the Official Community Plan, Zoning By-law, Building By-law, BC Building Code, and other applicable by-laws and policies as prescribed by City Council, and ensuring that business is conducted in a way that is consistent with the City's building, zoning, health and sanitation by-laws.

We also provide a service to determine the needs and concerns of the community by conducting both short- and long-range planning studies that involve extensive public input. We are continually reviewing our plans, by-laws, and regulations to ensure that they are consistent with society's rapidly evolving social, economic, and environment conditions.

The department also has responsibility for the management of the City's real estate holdings and does so to ensure that these public assets receive a fair return on the City's investments.

The Development and Engineering Services Department is comprised of five divisions;

Building Inspection,
Engineering,
Land Development Engineering,
Planning and Development, and
Real Estate.