Building permits, development permits and inspections

Did you know that there are different kinds of permits that you may need before you begin your project? You can learn more about the types of permits, and the requirements and regulations for each permit below.

Types of permits

Safety Codes and compliance

Safety Codes provide the community a service that helps support compliance by monitoring and promoting safe, well constructed buildings that benefit everyone from residents to builders, developers, and the city at large.  

In December 2025, the Safety Codes Services Permit Bylaw was revised to improve clarity for builders and developers. The revision provides more information about the City’s application requirements, procedures, inspections, fees, and offences or penalties related to permits that are regulated by the Alberta Safety Codes Act. The revised bylaw includes simplified details required by the Safety Codes Act, such as which permits are needed and when, regulations for refusal, suspension or cancellation of permits, occupancy requirements, and compliance obligations.

New to the bylaw are sections outlining permit holder obligations, permit transfers, extensions, revisions and re-examinations, verification of compliance, refunds, and offences and penalties, notifications, inspections, re-inspections, continuing offence, vicarious liability, corporations and partnerships, obstructions, severability, and liability.

Revised sections now cover fees, offences, the powers and duties of Safety Codes Officers, occupancy, issuance of a permit, and permit applications

The revamped Safety Codes Services Permit Bylaw clarifies a Safety Codes Officer’s ability and duty to carry out inspections and enforce the bylaw. It also enables the City’s Enforcement Department to address violations such as starting construction before receiving a permit, occupying a building without an occupancy permit, and submitting false or fraudulent documents.

Building permits, development permits and inspections FAQs

No, once your permit has been reviewed by our Permit Issuers and deemed complete, you will get an email notification that the fees are ready for payment.

If a business replaces the same or similar business in a space and there are no measurable differences between the two businesses, a development permit and a building permit may not be required. An example would be a clothing store replacing another while not requiring any new construction. This only applies when the use that is vacating the space has a valid development permit and building permit. There may be conditions on the maximum time a space is left vacant, typically less than six months.

A building permit is not required, but a development permit is required when a site has both its front and back yards facing onto a street. Please reference Section 34 of the Land Use Bylaw for more guidelines on fence construction. A diagram of fence regulations for intersections is provided below.

A Change of Use is typically when a business, defined as a specific use, vacates a commercial industrial space and is replaced by a business of a different classification. For example, a Professional Office is replaced by a General Industrial Use.

If a business is replaced by the same use and the intensity of the new use significantly differs from the previous use, this would be considered a change in the Intensity of the Use. An example would be a Child Care Facility that was approved for a 100m2 space expands to a 150m2 space.

Contact Us

General Planning Inquiries
Phone: 780-962-7582
Email: planningsupport@sprucegrove.org

Permits – Development Permits, Building Permits, Trade Permits (Plumbing, Electrical and Gas)
Phone: 780-962-7582
Email: planningsupport@sprucegrove.org

Compliance Certificates
Phone: 780-962-7582
Email: planningsupport@sprucegrove.org

Inspections – Building Permits, Trade Permits (Plumbing, Electrical and Gas)
Phone: 780-962-7576
Email: inspections@sprucegrove.org

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