Welcome to your daily briefing on construction developments in BC. Today we're covering 10 key stories including updates on british columbia construction headlines, british columbia construction updates, background & context. Let's dive in.
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The City of Vancouver has updated its dataset on building permits, detailing the time taken from application to issuance since 2017.
This information is crucial for construction professionals in BC to understand permit processing timelines and manage project schedules effectively.
Infrastructure BC has opened the Request For Qualification phase, inviting submissions from interested parties to showcase their qualifications for upcoming projects.
This is a crucial opportunity for construction professionals in BC to demonstrate their capabilities and compete for significant project work.
The Major Projects Inventory includes a list of public and private sector construction projects in British Columbia.
This resource is essential for construction professionals in BC to identify potential projects and opportunities.
This resource provides information on pre-bid construction projects in various stages from British Columbia.
Staying informed about upcoming projects is crucial for construction professionals in BC to plan and prepare for bidding opportunities.
BidCentral offers access to thousands of construction projects available for bidding in BC.
This platform provides construction professionals in BC with valuable opportunities to secure new jobs.
Connect with contractors and builders
2 stories
This guide offers insights on how to effectively use the Find a Licensed Contractor tool available through Technical Safety BC.
Access to licensed contractors is crucial for ensuring safety and compliance in construction projects across British Columbia.
Discover contractors who are licensed to undertake regulated work within TSBC’s jurisdiction.
It's essential for construction professionals in BC to engage licensed contractors to ensure compliance with regulations.
3 stories
In most BC jurisdictions, the lien filing deadline runs from last day on the project OR last delivery of materials, whichever is later — but several states use a project-wide cutoff (substantial completion) regardless of when your specific work ended. Counting the wrong start date is the leading cause of waived liens.
A blown lien deadline drops your collateral down to a personal-guaranty claim, which often means recovery cents on the dollar. The window is short — 60 to 120 days in most states.
Most construction contracts require change orders to be in writing, but many states enforce an "oral modification" exception when the parties' conduct shows agreement — especially when the changed work is performed and accepted without protest. Continued performance without written change orders can waive the writing requirement entirely.
Contractors who do extra work hoping to "true it up later" routinely lose those claims because the conduct shows acceptance of the original scope. A signed change order before the work is the cleanest evidence of agreement.
"Pay-when-paid" sets a timing condition only — the GC must still pay even if the owner never does. "Pay-if-paid" creates a true condition precedent — no owner payment, no GC payment to subs. Many states will not enforce pay-if-paid clauses without unmistakably clear language; ambiguity defaults to pay-when-paid.
The risk allocation between subcontractors and GCs hinges on this one phrase. Subs who sign pay-if-paid contracts effectively underwrite owner credit risk on top of project risk.
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