Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine

Further important information about civic address administration:

Civic addresses are generally issued at the time of application for a building permit and perhaps subdivision. The civic address is based on the location of the primary driveway serving the property and the location of buildings and structures on the property.

The Regional District only assigns the numbers. The provincial Ministry of Transportation and Transit is responsible for street names in unincorporated Regional Districts. Canada Post is responsible for Postal Codes. Under the Land Act, place names for localities, communities, and geographical features are regulated by the BC Geographical Names Office.

The RDKS may re-address as deemed necessary for reasons of tenure change, emergency response feedback, or on instruction from a Provincial Ministry or any Court.

The incorporated municipalities of Kitimat, Stewart, Terrace, and the Hazeltons assign their own civic addresses and street names. The RDKS cooperates with these municipalities and other Regional Districts in Northern BC administering the 911 system. The RDKS also works with Treaty and Reserve First Nations ensuring an effective and consistent numbering system.

The Local Government Act allows Regional Districts to regulate display standards for civic addresses. Prescribing the visibility and placement is necessary for a timely response by emergency services, deliveries, and utilities.

• Please contact the RDKS  to discuss the most effective display of civic address and unit numbers, both on a building or near the driveway and what is compliant with the bylaw. The physical display of addresses is a matter of public safety.
• The cost to buy and install the building or structure number signs is the responsibility of the property owner, tenant, or agent. The RDKS does not provide physical signs. Signs can be found at hardware stores, from commercial signage companies, or may be ordered online.
• Please display your civic address number as soon as possible once it's been assigned, and follow the instructions in the Civic Address Guide.
• If you own rental properties or a mobile home park, please notify tenants of the new number and display requirements. If there are multiple buildings on a property, make sure that each unit number is visible to emergency response.

- It is a property owner’s or tenant’s responsibility to ensure contact details, including mailing addresses, are up to date with third parties (fees may apply):

• Notify the utility companies for electricity, natural gas, internet, and telephone of the new or changed address for your property. The RDKS updates the database, but not the billing information associating the utility service with your account.
• The Provincial government requires persons to update their home address on a driver’s license or other issued identification: BC Driver’s License webpage
• The BC Assessment Authority requires an updated address on record for all property owner correspondence. Update your contact details using the online form: BC Assessment Mailing Address Changes webpage
  Insurers and financial institutions may require notification of a new, retired, or changed address. This is the responsibility of the property owner or tenant.
• BC Land Titles requires the property owner to update a civic address using the online form: BC Land Title Mailing Address Change
• School Districts 82, 87, and 92 may require notification of changes to a student’s home address for safety, administrative purposes, and bus service.

- Canada Post is notified by the RDKS of new, retired, or changed civic addresses. Canada Post requires some form of established dwelling or businesses for mail delivery services. The same may apply to private delivery services.

- The RDKS 911 service managed by E-Comm 9-1-1 is notified automatically of new, retired, or changed civic addresses. Note that not all of the RDKS is serviced by 911. If not in an E-Comm 9-1-1 serviced area, a civic address is vital when contacting the RCMP or other emergency services directly.

All dwellings, such as a house, basement suite, apartment, or short term rental units, require a unique address or unit number for timely 911 emergency response.

All other structures used for shelter or be occupied for commercial, industrial, or farming purposes, also require numbering. Even developments in remote areas only accessible by water or private logging road require addressing for emergency response.

Utility companies also require civic addresses as do governments issuing identification or for other public services.

You can find addresses using our public RDKSMap or call the RDKS office. Please make sure that you have your PID, roll, or legal description ready. These can be found on your BC Tax Assessment Notice or on your legal title. If a civic address is in our database, it is available to emergency services.

A civic address (or house number) is the first number or letter sequence assigned to a physical location, building, structure, or unit, by the RDKS for 911 emergency responses.

Canada Post assigns a mailing address within a Postal Code to deliver mail to your location, a community mailbox, or a post office box. Canada Post relies on RDKS-assigned building and unit numbers to complete the mailing address.

No. Civic addresses are assigned an ‘address point’ in the 911 system and must be consistent with those requirements. Anyone who assigns their own numbers are  creating confusion for emergency services and are in violation of the bylaw. The RDKS uses a best practice approach to assign civic addresses.

Yes. All existing properties and buildings assigned a civic address and unit number must place a visible sign including the assigned numbers in an appropriate format.

The requirement is based on our mandate to ensure the same level of service for all buildings and structures within the RDKS. Visible address signage is crucial for efficient emergency response.

Buildings further than 10 metres from the frontage property line (including a shoreline dock for water access parcels) are also required to post a second sign with the civic address number near the driveway or dock. Please refer to the Civic Addressing Guide.

Civic addressing is assigned by bylaw to every occupied parcel with a building or structure in the RDKS, regardless of whether you live on a private or public road or highway.

Yes. Numbers should be not less than 7.62 cm (3 in) in height, on a contrasting background, and displayed in a secure position clearly visible from the road. Please review the Civic Addressing Guide and do not hesitate to call our office for assistance.

The property owner or occupier is responsible for the purchase, installation, visibility, and maintenance of any sign showing the civic address. Pease do so within 90 days of assignment.

No. Numbers are assigned to buildings or structures with human occupancy either as a dwelling or for commercial or industrial uses. Infrastructure may also be assigned.

Emergency services should not be sent to properties without established occupancy or structures where work is undertaken.

The RDKS may assign a temporary placeholder civic address that will assist in setting up utility services if you submit a building permit application with a site plan and drawings.

Yes. Having a separate civic address or unit number assigned to each residence or unit on your property will ensure the best possible response time during an emergency and will help eliminate any confusion with mail delivery, utility billing, etc.

The RDKS will work with the property owner or agent to find the safest and most effective way to assign pad and unit numbers within a mobile home park, commercial property, RV parks, apartment or rowhouse building, or similar.

All dwelling units or site uses with occupancy must have a distinct unit number assigned to the satisfaction of the RDKS. The RDKS may also require an on-site directory and map to assist emergency services or general wayfinding.

Please contact the RDKS to deactivate a civic address when: 

• A building or structure is demolished or burns down and there are no plans to rebuild
• The construction of a proposed building is cancelled

When filling out your Civic Address Application form, choose "Retired" as the reason for change.

The RDKS is unable to approve every Civic Address Application. We will send you a rejection letter detailing reasons for rejection and offer guidance to resolve the issue if possible.

Below are some of the most common reasons why we may reject applications:

• Missing proof of land ownership or current landowner consent
• Not compliant with zoning bylaws 
• Not compliant with the Agriculture Land Commission
• Distance from a named Ministry of Transportation and Transit road 
• Landlocked parcel with no easement on title for driveway access 
• Landlocked parcel with no Crown agreement for driveway access
• Illegal suite 
• Empty lot, which we review on a case-by-case basis
• Unoccupied structure, which we review on a case-by-case basis
• Safety issues

Yes. A RDKS issued civic address does not permit driveway access to a public road or highway.

The property owner must separately apply for a Highway Use Permit from the Ministry of Transportation and Transit. Unlawful driveways and intersections are a risk to the public and interfere with emergency response.

The RDKS, at its discretion, will assign an address to the driveway on the right-of-way with predominant access and frontage. The primary frontage road is usually assigned at subdivision where the access is determined.

Yes. The RDKS will require a copy of the easement and will verify with registration on land title. The driveway must be capable of supporting emergency vehicle access and must directly lead to a building or structure with occupancy or use. A site plan may be required.

No. Most digital mapping service like Google Maps, Apple Maps, Garmin, or Mapquest rely on public data sets available from the Province’s iMapBC platform.

The accuracy of private mapping systems for addresses, street names, and geographical features is not part of any RDKS service including 911.