Building Information Guide Southern Gulf Islands

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Guide for residential construction for single family dwellings  
including additions, renovations and accessory buildings
Building and Renovating 
in the Southern Gulf Islands
 
 Guide to  
Environmentally Friendly 

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What’s this Guide for?
This Guide helps you build while protecting the islands’ natural ecosystems. It 
also includes information about financial incentives and other resources that 
can help you protect your environment.
Why on the Southern Gulf Islands?
The Southern Gulf Islands are part of the Islands Trust, which has a mandate 
to preserve and protect the Islands Trust area’s unique environment. The 
Southern Gulf Islands are in the Coastal Douglas-fir ecosystem, one of the 
most endangered ecosystems in Canada. Both the Islands Trust and the 
Capital Regional District (CRD) have signed the provincial government’s 
Climate Action Charter, which requires communities to reduce greenhouse 
gas emissions. Decisions you make at the planning stages of your building 
project can dramatically reduce any negative impacts and help to create a 
truly environmentally friendly community.
Who should use the Guide?
This Guide is for all current and prospective landowners who are preparing 
to build a new house, a cottage, or an accessory building, or planning to 
remodel or add to an existing dwelling, alter the land or to build or reroute a 
driveway.
When should I use the Guide?
Consult the Guide early in your planning process so that the ideas can be 
incorporated at the outset. Review the guide with your architect, designer 
and contractor. Consulting the guide after the working drawings are finished 
may result in lost opportunities and additional costs if you decide to make 
last-minute changes.
Where to find Maps
All of the maps you need showing your property, sensitive ecosystems and 
permitted land uses are located on the Islands Trust website under the 
relevant Local Trust Area. 
Cover photograph courtesy of Terrill Welch http://terrillwelchartist.com
The Guide to Environmentally Friendly Building in the Southern Gulf Islands is downloadable at www.islandstrust.bc.ca
Published July 2011

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Ecosystem Approach to Planning
Maintain as much of your property as a natural, undeveloped  ƒ
area where only native species grow. Conserving existing natural 
areas is by far the most effective way to conserve plant and animal 
biodiversity on our islands.
Identify environmental and archaeological values, including habitat  ƒ
for threatened or endangered species and first nation sites before 
considering access, site clearing and design.
Where possible, plan to locate your driveway, septic system, house  ƒ
and outbuildings away from areas with high environmental values like 
shorelines, streams, rare plants, and wildlife trees. Place natural buffers 
such as vegetation between the development and sensitive features.
Cluster development in one area of the property to minimize   ƒ
site disturbance.
Register a covenant on your property to protect

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