TOWN OF VIEW ROYAL 
 
 
 
 
Business License Bylaw No. 952, 2016  
 
A Bylaw for the Licensing and Regulation of Business 
 
“Consolidated for Convenience” 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
BUSINESS LICENSE AND REGULATION BYLAW No. 952, 2016 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 ITEM  
PAGE NO. 
 
 
Citation....................................................................................................................................................... 7 
Purpose of Bylaw ....................................................................................................................................... 7 
PART 1 - INTERPRETATION ....................................................................................................................... 7 
Definitions .................................................................................................................................................. 7 
Application ................................................................................................................................................. 9 
Words Not Defined in This Bylaw .............................................................................................................. 9 
Severability ................................................................................................................................................ 9 
Duty of Care .............................................................................................................................................. 9 
Administrative Directions ........................................................................................................................... 9 
Headings.................................................................................................................................................... 9 
PART 2 - LICENCE INSPECTOR ................................................................................................................. 9 
Appointment of License Inspectors ........................................................................................................... 9 
License Inspector’s Powers ..................................................................................................................... 10 
Revoking of Business Licence................................................................................................................. 10 
Right of Entry ........................................................................................................................................... 10 
PART 3 - LICENCE REQUIRED ................................................................................................................. 10 
License Fee ............................................................................................................................................. 11 
Forms ....................................................................................................................................................... 11 
Effect of License ...................................................................................................................................... 11 
License Renewal ..................................................................................................................................... 11 
PART 4 - REQUIREMENTS ....................................................................................................................... 12 
Display of License ................................................................................................................................... 12 
Advertising ............................................................................................................................................... 12 
Circus or Carnival .................................................................................................................................... 12 
Shows ...................................................................................................................................................... 12 
Recycling Depot ...................................................................................................................................... 12 
Peddlers................................................................................................................................................... 12 
Municipally Owned Lands........................................................................................................................ 13 
Occupancy Permit ................................................................................................................................... 13 
Trade Qualifications ................................................................................................................................. 13 
Garage Sales ........................................................................................................................................... 13 
Part 5 - OFFENCES - PENALTIES ............................................................................................................. 13 
Offence .................................................................................................................................................... 13 
Penalties .................................................................................................................................................. 14 
PART 6 – EFFECTIVE DATE ..................................................................................................................... 14 
PART 7 – MISCELLANEOUS ..................................................................................................................... 14 
Repeal ..................................................................................................................................................... 14 
Schedules ................................................................................................................................................ 14 
SCHEDULE A ............................................................................................................................................. 16 
SCHEDULE  B ............................................................................................................................................ 17 
SCHEDULE B (continued) .......................................................................................................................... 18 
 
 
 

Business License and Regulation Bylaw No. 952, 2016 – consolidated to February 2020 
 
 
Page 7 
 
 
TOWN OF VIEW ROYAL 
 
BYLAW NO. 952, 2016 
 
 
 
A BYLAW FOR THE LICENSING AND REGULATION OF BUSINESS 
 
  
 
Citation  
 
1. 
This Bylaw may be cited as the “Business License and Regulation Bylaw No. 952, 
2016”. 
 
Purpose of Bylaw  
 
2. 
To provide licensing and regulations for businesses operating within the Town of View 
Royal and for the issuance of Intermunicipal Business Licenses. 
 
PART 1 - INTERPRETATION 
 
Definitions  
 
3.  
In this bylaw, unless the context otherwise requires: 
 
 
“Apartment”  
means a building, which contains three or more dwelling units 
with each dwelling unit having its principal access from an 
entrance or hallway or exterior walkway common to other 
dwelling units.  
 
 
“Business”  
means the carrying on of a commercial or industrial 
undertaking of any kind or nature or the providing of 
professional, personal or other services for the purpose of gain 
or profit, this but does not include an activity carried on by the 
government, its agencies or government owned corporation or 
by a charitable, philanthropic or religious organization where 
the whole of the proceeds of the activity are used solely for 
charitable, philanthropic or religious purposes. 
 
 
“Daily Licence” 
means a business license for craft fairs, exhibitions or other 
itinerant shows; or entertainment. 
 
 
“Drug Paraphernalia” 
means any product, good, ware, merchandise, equipment, 
thing or material of any kind primarily used to produce, 
process, package, store, inject, ingest, inhale or otherwise 
introduce into the human body a controlled substance as 
defined in the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. 
 
 
“Floor Area” 
means all the floor space contained within the building or 
buildings, structure or structures within which the said trade, 
business or occupation is carried on. 
 

Business License and Regulation Bylaw No. 952, 2016 
 
Page 8 
 
 
“Home Crafts”  
are articles made by hand such as jewellery, dolls, woodcrafts 
stuffed animals, holiday art, toys, greeting cards, candles, 
soap, flower arranging, clothing and fabric art. 
 
 
“Home Occupation”  
means the accessory use of a residential dwelling unit by its 
resident for commercial purposes other than home crafts, 
provided that the use is secondary to the use of the dwelling 
unit for residential purposes and that it does not change the 
residential character. 
 
 
“Intercommunity  
means a business license issued by a municipality that is party  
 
Business License” 
to the Intercommunity Business License Partnership.    
 
 
 
“Intermunicipal 
means a business license issued by a municipality that is  
Business License” 
party to the Intermunicipal Business License Agreement 
 
authorized by the Intermunicipal Business License Agreement 
 
Authorization Bylaw, 1999 No. 364 and any amendments, 
 
replacement bylaw and agreements. 
 
 
“License Inspector”  
means the person from time to time duly appointed as 
Business License Inspector for the municipality and also any 
person lawfully acting in that capacity. 
 
 
“Municipal Council”  
means the Municipal Council of the Town of View Royal. 
 
 
“Municipality”  
means the Town of View Royal. 
 
 
 “Non-Resident  
means a business other than a resident business carried on 
  Business”  
within the Town of View Royal or with respect to which any 
 
work or service is performed within the Town. 
 
 
“Peddler”  
means a person engaged in the business of selling directly to 
the public by calling from premise to premise, or by setting up 
a temporary business on property in order to expose samples, 
take orders, and/or offer for sale, wares or merchandise of any 
kind but excludes garage sales by a resident of the property.  
 
 
“Person”   
shall include a corporation, partnership, proprietorship, firm 
and the personal or other legal representative of a person to 
whom the context may apply under this bylaw. 
 
 
“Premise”  
includes a store, office, warehouse factory building, enclosed 
yard, house or other place or any part thereof occupied or 
used by any person for the purpose of any business, trade or 
occupation and also includes any area situated within any of 
the foregoing, where more than one separate and/or distinct 
class or classification of business is carried out.  
 
 
“Pub”   
includes any place where alcoholic liquor is sold to be 
consumed on site (saloon, inn, hotel, etc.) but excludes 
restaurants. 
 
 
“Recycling Depot”  
includes any premise used for the collection and shipping of 
recyclable materials.  
 

Business License and Regulation Bylaw No. 952, 2016 
 
Page 9 
 
 
“Resident Business”  
means a business carried on in or from premises within the 
Town of View Royal. 
 
 
“Shows”  
includes live entertainment or other forms of entertainment, 
dances, trade shows and other public shows.   
 
 
“Trade  
means written evidence that a person has completed an 
 
  Qualification” 
apprenticeship or is certified for a specific trade with the 
Ministry of Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training 
 
Application 
 
4. 
This bylaw applies to all land (including the surface of water), buildings or structures 
within the boundaries of the Town of View Royal subject to Provincial and Federal 
enactments. 
 
Words Not Defined in This Bylaw  
 
5. 
 
All other words and phrases appearing in both this bylaw and the Community Charter 
shall bear the same meaning in this bylaw as they bear where they appear in the 
Community Charter. 
 
Severability  
 
6. 
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this bylaw is for any reason 
held to be invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, the decision shall not affect the 
validity of the remaining portions of this bylaw. 
 
Duty of Care   
 
7. 
This bylaw does not create any duty of care whatsoever on the Municipality, the Council 
Members, Officers, License Inspector, or any employees or agents of the Municipality in 
respect of: 
 
(1) the issuance of a license;  
(2) inspection made by the License Inspector or failure to make an inspection; 
(3) the enforcement of this bylaw. 
 
Administrative Directions 
   
8. 
Words defining the responsibilities and authority of the License Inspector shall be 
construed to be an internal administrative direction and not as creating a duty.  
 
Headings  
 
9. 
Section headings do not form part of this bylaw. They are included for convenience only 
and must not be used in interpreting this bylaw.  
 
 
PART 2 - LICENCE INSPECTOR  
 
Appointment of License Inspectors  
 

Business License and Regulation Bylaw No. 952, 2016 
 
Page 10 
 
10. 
The Council may by resolution appoint a License Inspector and one or more Deputy 
License Inspectors, who are authorized to carry out and administer the provisions of this 
bylaw. 
 
License Inspector’s Powers  
 
11. 
(1) 
The License Inspector may grant a Business License when satisfied that the 
applicant has complied with the requirements of this and all other applicable 
bylaws. 
   
(2) 
Pursuant to Section 60 of the Community Charter the License Inspector may 
refuse to grant a Business License when not satisfied that the applicant has 
complied with the requirements of this and all other applicable bylaws. 
 
(3) 
Pursuant to Section 60 of the Community Charter, if the License Inspector 
refuses to issue a Business license the applicant is entitled to have Council 
reconsider the matter.  
 
Revoking of Business Licence 
 
12. 
Pursuant to section 60 of the Community Charter the Municipal Council may suspend or 
cancel a license for reasonable cause. 
 
Right of Entry   
 
13. 
Every License Inspector, Fire Inspector, and Bylaw Enforcement Officer of the 
Municipality may enter at all reasonable times on any property that is subject to this 
bylaw to ascertain whether the regulations in this bylaw are being observed. 
 
 
PART 3 - LICENCE REQUIRED 
 
License Required  (subject to Community Charter)) 
  
14. 
(1) 
No person shall carry on a business within the Town of View Royal without first 
obtaining a Town of View Royal Business License and paying a fee as described 
for such business under Schedule A or be the holder of a valid intermunicipal 
business license.  
 
 
 
(2)  
Where a business is carried on, in or from more than one premise within the 
Municipality, the business being carried on from each premise shall be deemed 
to be a separate business. 
 
 
 
(3)   
Where a business is carried on, in or from a premise within the Municipality and 
also provides services within other municipalities, this business must obtain a 
business license for its premises and an intermunicipal business license. 
 
 
(4)    
Any person who carries on more than one business from any one premise shall 
obtain a separate license for each business. 
 
 
(5) 
No person shall transfer a place of business without first making an application to 
the License Inspector. After receiving an application and payment of a fee as 
specified within Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 958 and subject to the approval of 
the License Inspector, the license will be transferred. 
(Bylaw No. 958, 2016) 

Business License and Regulation Bylaw No. 952, 2016 
 
Page 11 
 
 
 
(6) 
Upon any change in the nature, character, kind or description of the business 
carried on by the holder of said license within the Municipality or engaging in any 
further or additional business therein, it shall be the duty of the license holder to 
pay forthwith for any further or additional licenses as shall be applicable or 
required. 
 
License Fee 
 
15. 
Every person who applies for a Business License shall pay at the time of application, the 
applicable license fee as prescribed in Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 958 provided that: 
(Bylaw No. 958, 2016) 
 
(1) 
Except as hereinafter provided, licenses shall be granted for a one-year period to 
commence the first day of January and to terminate the thirty-first day of 
December in each and every year.   
 
 
(2) 
The license fee prescribed in this bylaw shall be reduced by one-half in respect 
of a business that becomes liable to be licensed after the thirtieth day of June in 
any year.  
 
(3) 
No refund of the annual license fee shall be made on account of any person 
ceasing to do business at any time. A license fee shall be refunded only if the 
application is withdrawn prior to issuance of the Business License or if issuance 
of a Business License is refused. 
 
Forms  
 
16. 
Every person applying for a license or for the transfer of a license shall complete the 
forms prescribed by the License Inspector for such purpose. 
 
Effect of License  
 
17. 
(1) 
A Business License is not a representation or warranty that the licensed business 
complies with the bylaws of the Municipality or with any other regulations or 
standards.  
 
(2) 
A Business License authorizes only the person named in the Business License to 
carry on only the business described in the Business License, only at the 
premises or locations described in the Business License. 
 
License Renewal  
 
18. 
The License Inspector shall make available to all licensees an invoice and renewal form 
on or before the fifteenth day of December each year.  
 
(1) 
A licensee who proposes to renew a Business License shall obtain, complete 
and submit the renewal form and annual license fee to the License Inspector not 
later than January 31 each year. 
 
(2) 
If a Business License is not renewed as required by part 3 Section 15(1) a 
licensee who wishes to continue to carry on the business shall submit an 
application form in accordance with part 3 and shall pay an additional license fee 
as specified in Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 958.  
(Bylaw No. 958, 2016) 

Business License and Regulation Bylaw No. 952, 2016 
 
Page 12 
 
 
PART 4 - REQUIREMENTS 
 
Display of License   
 
19. 
A Business License must be prominently displayed in the sales or reception area of a 
premise to which the public has access. A business that holds an Intermunicipal 
Business License must at all times keep its Business License or a legible copy thereof.  
 
Advertising  
 
20. 
No person shall advertise the carrying on of a business in the Municipality unless a 
Business License has been issued for that business.   
 
Circus or Carnival  
 
21. 
(1) 
A Circus or Carnival shall maintain a comprehensive liability policy of insurance 
for $5,000,000.00 inclusive limits, covering bodily injury, death and property 
damage including loss thereof and shall produce proof of such insurance to the 
License Inspector with the application for a Business License. 
 
(2) 
The operator of the Circus or Carnival shall ensure that each ride has an elevator 
inspection plate showing the last inspection of the ride. 
 
Shows  
 
22. 
Any person operating a show or dance for persons under the age of nineteen or at 
shows or dances not under a liquor license shall: 
 
 
(1) 
operate the show between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m.; 
 
(2) 
be required to provide one security guard from a recognized security company or 
a Peace Officer for every 30 persons licensed to be in the facility for which the 
show is held; 
 
(3) 
the security guards or Peace Officers will control the grounds around the show 
premise as well as the premise itself.  
 
Recycling Depot  
 
23.      Any person operating a recycling depot shall: 
 
(1) 
operate a recycle depot fully enclosed within a building or in containers if stored 
outside of a building;   
 
(2) 
be permitted to sell recycled material from the premise to walk in customers but 
must deliver the material received for disposal to a recycling plant. 
 
Peddlers 
 
24.      All peddlers shall when conducting or attempting to conduct business: 
 
(1) 
state to any person with whom they are conducting or attempting to conduct 
business the name of the business or organization with whom they are 
associated, affiliated or representing; 

Business License and Regulation Bylaw No. 952, 2016 
 
Page 13 
 
 
(2) 
state to any person with whom they are conducting or attempting to conduct 
business their full legal name, consisting of all personal names and surname; 
 
(3) 
have affixed to their clothing and clearly visible to the public, an identification 
card on which is printed their full legal name and on which is affixed their 
photograph, said photograph being not smaller than passport size, namely 5cm 
by 5cm;  
 
(4) 
display to any person inquiring, a copy of a valid Business License; 
 
(5) 
have a letter of permission from the owner of the real property when setting up 
business on private property. 
 
Municipally Owned Lands 
 
25. 
No person shall offer for sale, lease or rent, any goods or merchandise on any streets, 
boulevards, parks and recreation facilities within the municipality, unless permission is 
obtained from the Municipal Council.  
 
Occupancy Permit  
 
26. 
No person shall occupy or permit occupancy of a new or remodelled premise for the 
purpose of carrying on a business unless the Municipal Building Official has issued an 
occupancy permit for the premise. 
 
Trade Qualifications 
 
27. 
Any person applying for a business license in an occupation, which is within the 
jurisdiction of the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training, must present proof of 
Trade Qualification at the time of application. 
 
Garage Sales 
 
28. 
Any occupier of a property who conducts more than three garage sales within one 
calendar year requires a business license.  Each such sale shall be not longer than 3 
consecutive days. 
 
Drug Paraphernalia 
 
29. 
Drug paraphernalia sales do not fall under Commercial Small or Commercial Large Fee 
Classification under Schedule A unless the premises are licensed as a pharmacy under 
the Pharmacists, Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act. 
 
30. 
No person can operate a business for the purposes of selling drug paraphernalia except 
between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. 
 
Part 5 - OFFENCES - PENALTIES  
 
Offence 
 
31.      It is an offence for any person to: 
 
(1) 
carry on a business for which a Business License is required pursuant to this 
bylaw without holding a valid and current Business License for the business; 

Business License and Regulation Bylaw No. 952, 2016 
 
Page 14 
 
 
(2) 
tender a cheque or other negotiable instrument in full or partial payment of any 
license fee payable hereunder, if said cheque or negotiable instrument is 
fraudulent;  
 
(3) 
fail to display a valid and subsisting business license as required by the 
provisions of this bylaw;  
 
(4) 
fail to furnish any information or documentation as required by the provisions of 
this bylaw;   
 
(5) 
carry on or remain open for business after receiving notice that the business 
license has been suspended or revoked; 
 
(6) 
violate any provisions of this bylaw;  
 
(7) 
suffer or permit any act to be performed in violation of this bylaw; 
 
(8) 
neglect or refrain from fulfilling all requirements or provisions of this bylaw.  
 
Penalties 
 
32. 
(1) 
Any person who commits an offence under this bylaw is punishable in 
accordance with the Offence Act of British Columbia. 
 
(2) 
No person shall do any act or suffer or permit any act or thing to be done in 
contravention of this Bylaw. Every person who contravenes this Bylaw by wilfully 
doing any act which it forbids, or wilfully omitting to do any act which it requires to 
be done, is guilty of an offence and is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine of 
not less than $500.00 and not more than $10,000.00.   A separate offence shall 
be deemed to be committed upon each day during and in which the 
contravention occurs or continues.  The penalties imposed under this section 
shall be in addition to and not in substitution for any other penalty or remedy 
imposed by this Bylaw. 
 
(3) 
Notwithstanding anything herein contained, the amount of any and every license 
fee payable by any person pursuant to the provisions of this Bylaw shall be a 
debt due by that person to the Municipality, which shall be recoverable together 
with any costs in any court of competent jurisdiction. 
 
 
PART 6 – EFFECTIVE DATE  
 
33. 
This bylaw shall come into effect on January 1, 2017.  
 
 
PART 7 – MISCELLANEOUS  
 
Repeal 
 
34. 
Business License and Regulation Bylaw No. 580, 2004 is hereby repealed on January 1, 
2017 except insofar as it repeals any other bylaw. 
 
Schedules 
 
 

Business License and Regulation Bylaw No. 952, 2016 
 
Page 15 
 
35.  
Schedules A and B are attached hereto forming a part of this bylaw. 
 
 
READ A FIRST TIME THIS  5th DAY OF JULY, 2016 
 
READ A SECOND TIME THIS 5th DAY OF JULY, 2016 
 
READ A THIRD TIME THIS 5th DAY OF JULY, 2016 
 
ADOPTED BY COUNCIL, SIGNED BY THE MAYOR AND THE CLERK AND SEALED WITH 
THE SEAL OF THE TOWN OF VIEW ROYAL THIS 19th DAY OF JULY, 2016 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MAYOR 
 
 
CLERK

Business License and Regulation Bylaw No. 952, 2016 – consolidated to February 2020 
 
 
Page 16 
 
 
SCHEDULE A 
(Deleted by Bylaw No. 958, 2016) 
 
 
 

Business License and Regulation Bylaw No. 952, 2016 
 
 
Page 17 
 
 
 
SCHEDULE  B 
 
Classes of Business eligible for Intermunicipal Business License: 
 
1. 
Contractors all types – includes but not limited to: 
 
 
Acoustics 
 
 
 
 
Interior design  
 
Alarm Systems 
 
 
 
 
Irrigation 
 
Alteration 
 
 
 
 
Iron Worker  
 
Appliance Repair  
 
 
 
Janitorial Service 
 
Aluminium Products 
 
 
 
Land Clearing  
 
Audio/Video Systems 
 
 
 
Landscape Curbs  
 
Bathroom Refinishing 
 
 
 
Landscaping   
 
Bricklayer 
 
 
 
 
Lather 
 
Building  
 
 
 
 
Locksmith 
 
Building Mover 
 
 
 
 
Masonry 
 
Building Washing  
 
 
 
Mechanical 
 
Bulldozing 
 
 
 
 
Metal Worker  
 
Cabinet Maker 
 
 
 
 
Nursing Services 
 
Carpenter 
 
 
 
 
Oil Worker  
 
Carpet Cleaning  
 
 
 
Overhead doors  
 
Chimney Cleaner  
 
 
 
Painter     
 
Cleaning Services  
 
 
 
Painting and Decorating 
 
Communication Systems  
 
 
Paving 
 
Concrete 
 
 
 
 
Pest Control 
 
Concrete Cutting and Coring 
 
 
Pilings 
 
Crack Sealing 
 
 
 
 
Pipeline 
 
Decks 
 
 
 
 
 
Power Vacuum 
 
Demolition 
 
 
 
 
Power Washing 
 
Diving 
 
 
 
 
 
Plaster and Stucco 
 
Doors 
 
 
 
 
 
Plumbing 
 
Drapery and Awnings 
 
 
 
Plumbing and Heating 
 
Dredging 
 
 
 
 
Pools and Spas 
 
Drilling and Blasting 
 
 
 
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning 
 
Driveway Sealing  
 
 
 
Reinforcing Steel 
 
Drywall and Plaster 
 
 
 
Renovation 
 
Electrical 
 
 
 
 
Restaurant Equipment 
 
Elevator  
 
 
 
 
Restoration Service 
 
Energy Conservation 
 
 
 
Roofer/ Shingler 
 
Excavating 
 
 
 
 
Roof Inspection 
 
Fencing  
 
 
 
 
Sand Blaster 
 
Fire Sprinkler 
 
 
 
 
Sealant Roof and Driveway 
 
Fireplaces 
 
 
 
 
Sanitary Engineer 
 
Floor Laying 
 
 
 
 
Security Service  
 
Furnace Repair 
 
 
 
 
Sewer and Drain 
 
Fuel Tanks 
 
 
 
 
Sheet Metal 
   
Garage Doors 
 
 
 
 
Siding 
   
Garbage Disposal 
 
 
 
Sign  
   
Garden Services   
 
 
 
Solar Heating 
 
Gas Fitter  
 
 
 
 
Stucco 
 
General Contractor  
 
 
 
Telephones  
 
Glazing  
 
 
 
 
Tile Setter 
 
Gutter Installation  
 
 
 
Traffic Control 
 
Handy Person 
 
 
 
 
Traffic Control Maintenance  
 
Hauling  
 
 
 
 
Tree Service  
 
Heat Pumps 
 
 
 
 
Trucking  
 
Heating  
 
 
 
 
Ventilation  
 
Home Improvement 
 
 
 
Water Proofing 
 
Home Repair 
 
 
 
 
Welding  
 
House Moving 
 
 
 
 
Window Coverings  
 
Industrial Flooring 
 
 
 
Window Screens  
 
Inspection Service 
 
 
 
Woodworking 

Business License and Regulation Bylaw No. 952, 2016 
 
 
Page 18 
 
 
SCHEDULE B (continued) 
 
 
2. 
Towing Services  
 
3. 
Mobile Sales and Service - Includes, but not limited to: 
 
Massage Therapist  
Facial Manicurist  
Pet Sitter  
Food, Beverage and Music Services  
Photographer  
Mobile Mechanic  
Mobile Hairdresser/ Barber