The Ministry of Environment and Parks is proposing changes to the fees under the Environmental Management Act (EMA) regulations in British Columbia, aiming to update costs for services related to contaminated sites remediation and waste discharge authorizations.
The fees for site remediation services were last reviewed in 2007 and the fees for waste discharges has been largely unchanged since 1992. These adjustments are intended to address the increasing volume of applications, enhance service delivery, and ensure the long-term effectiveness of the programs.
The proposed changes to waste discharge include a tiered structure for application and annual base fees, based on relative risk, administrative and oversight effort, facility size/scope, and classification under the Waste Discharge Regulation (WDR).
A highlight of the fee changes to site remediation services is summarized in the table below.
|
Service/Function |
Proposed New Fee Starting April 2026 |
Current Fee |
|
Determination of a Contaminated Site |
$5,000 |
$3,000 |
|
Approval in Principle |
$5,000 |
$3,000 |
|
Review of Preliminary Reports |
$10,000 |
$5,000 |
|
Certificate of Compliance |
$10,000 |
$6,000 |
|
Detailed Site Investigation Report |
$30,000 |
$15,000 |
|
Summary of Site Condition |
$5,000 |
$2,000 |
In addition to flat fee changes, the Ministry is proposing an hourly rate change from $165 per hour to $300 per hour for high-risk and complex sites requiring on-going management by the Ministry.
The Ministry proposes to implement a five-year review cycle for both waste discharge and site remediation fees, which could include inflationary adjustments to prevent the need for frequent and larger fee reviews in the future. The proposed changes for both the contaminated sites remediation and waste discharge are anticipated for implementation on April 1, 2026. The Ministry is currently accepting written feedback regarding the proposed changes via email to EPDFees@gov.bc.ca until early 2026.
If you need further clarification of have questions, connect with Kevin Wong, Contaminated Sites Department Head, to learn more.
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Summary written by: Kevin Wong, Contaminated Sites Department Head