Fabric building permits in Canada

Fabric buildings confuse building departments that haven’t permitted one before. Some reviewers treat them as tents, which they are not; others ask for documentation written for conventional construction. Knowing what to submit, and how to answer what comes back, is most of the work.

What every application needs

• Sealed engineered drawings from a professional engineer registered in your province.
• Structural calculations based on your site’s climate loads under the National Building Code, or the BC Building Code or NBC Alberta Edition where applicable.
• A foundation design that matches the anchor layout of the building above it.
• A site plan showing setbacks and access.

Where applications stall

• Generic manufacturer brochures submitted in place of site-specific engineering.
• Foundation designs that don’t match the structure above them.
• Missing snow-load calculations for the actual location.
• Occupancy questions for buildings where people will work.

Each has a standard fix. The key is recognizing the concern behind the reviewer’s comment: a question about occupancy is usually asking how the structure is designed for people to work inside it. Answering the underlying question resolves comments faster than answering only the literal wording.

Temporary structures

Temporary structures often still need a permit, and retroactive permitting costs more in time, money and disruption. Confirm the rules before you build.

Final requirements depend on your municipality, site conditions and project-specific engineering.