Buying a Home in Chilliwack: The Rules

On this page (11 sections)

In Chilliwack the rule that catches buyers depends on the ground: river setbacks and dikes on the flats, development permits on the hillsides, and farm zoning across the Agricultural Land Reserve. Here are the City-wide ones in plain words, with the City’s own sources at the bottom.

Plans and zoning

  • The current plan is the Chilliwack 2050 Official Community Plan, Bylaw No. 5500. Its schedules include the Agricultural Area Plan (B1), the Downtown Neighbourhood Plan (B3) and the Sardis plan (B5).
  • Zoning is Zoning Bylaw 2020, No. 5000. On SHR hillside lots the minimum lot area rises with the slope, from 360 m² to 990 m², so a big hillside lot may not split the way its size suggests.
  • In the AL (Agricultural Lowland) zone, a new lot needs 7.5 ha where subdivision is allowed, 1 ha for a boundary adjustment and 0.2 ha for a homesite severance the ALC has approved, with a 25 m minimum width.
  • Subdivision goes through the City’s Approving Officer and the Preliminary Layout Approval process. Confirm zone, servicing and frontage for the exact parcel before you value a split.

Floodplain and dikes

  • The Floodplain Regulation Bylaw 2018, No. 4519 sets minimum building setbacks of 60 m from the Fraser River, 75 m from the Vedder River and 30 m from the Chilliwack River and the Vedder Canal.
  • The City maintains dikes on the Fraser and Vedder systems and charges drainage and dyking taxes on top of the general rate.
  • Ask the City for the flood construction level and floodplain position of the exact lot before you remove subjects.

Hillside development

  • Development Permit Area 2 (Hillside and Upland Areas) needs a geotechnical report from a qualified professional with each application.
  • Development Permit Area 5 (Hillside Development) covers every City lot with a slope of 20% or more. A permit is needed before subdividing, building, adding on or altering the land, unless an exemption applies.
  • That is the rule behind every deck, addition or rebuild on the mountain, in a strata or not. Get the property’s geotechnical reports and check title for covenants.

Suites and small-scale housing

  • A secondary suite is capped at the lesser of 90 m² and 40% of the house. One accessory dwelling unit is allowed per lot, and a garden suite is capped at 100 m².
  • Bylaw 5395, adopted June 18, 2024, allows three to four units on lots inside the urban growth boundary zoned for single-detached or duplex housing. It does not apply to lots inside an existing strata, where the strata’s bylaws come first.
  • Short-term rentals need a licence under the Short-Term Rental Bylaw 2021, No. 5141. Check that a property qualifies before you count on rental income.

Property taxes

  • Notices go out at the end of May and taxes are due the first working day after July 1. For 2026, 5% was added to taxes unpaid after July 2 and another 5% after August 4.

Before you remove subjects in Chilliwack

  • The flood construction level and river setbacks for the lot.
  • Whether the lot is in a hillside development permit area, and its geotechnical reports.
  • Any suite or garden suite against the size caps.
  • ALR status on any farm or rural parcel.

Rules change, so confirm anything that matters for your purchase with the City of Chilliwack and your lawyer.

Areas with their own rules

Rules that are the same everywhere in BC

Sources

Neighbourhood guides that use this page

Common questions

Can I put a suite in a Chilliwack house?

Yes, where the zone allows it. A secondary suite is capped at the lesser of 90 m² and 40% of the house, and one accessory dwelling unit is allowed per lot.

Do I need a permit to build on a Chilliwack hillside?

Usually. Development Permit Area 5 covers every lot with a slope of 20% or more, and a permit with a geotechnical report is needed before you subdivide, build, add on or alter the land, unless an exemption applies.

What Buyers & Sellers Say

Excerpts from Google reviews for Jared Gibbons, REALTOR® at Royal LePage Little Oak Realty (Suite 201 - 15272 Croydon Dr, Surrey). Quoted word for word; initials only.

  • 5 out of 5 stars

    “First time home buyer. Jared came recommended and I can see why. Helped me and my family find a home we really loved and got us a good price. I felt like I had someone who was on my side the entire process and told it like it was. Very genuine…”

    D.S. Google review

  • 5 out of 5 stars

    “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Jared for both buying and selling homes in the past, and he has recently helped me sell a condo. I can confidently say that his service is by far better than any other realtor I’ve worked with…”

    A.B. Google review

  • 5 out of 5 stars

    “Jared has assisted me with the purchase of 2 investment properties; the most recent having been in April 2021. He surpasses all realtors I have worked with in the past…”

    A.T. Google review

Ready to get started?

Call 604-928-1361 or Email me today and let's discuss your next home sale or purchase.