Boiler Plant Program
Permits
About the Program
Boiler plant owners in BC are now required to obtain a boiler plant operating permit for the following plant types:
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th class plants
- Oil well plants
This permit is separate from the individual boiler operating permit(s) for specific equipment, as it encompasses considerations for the entire plant. The permit is required for all plants, including those designated as a "special status plant".
This requirement is outlined in section 62.1 of the Power Engineers, Boiler, Pressure Vessel & Refrigeration Safety Regulation
Benefits of Obtaining a Boiler Plant Operating Permit
Boiler plant operating permits will help those who operate plants:
- gain confirmation of compliance;
- gain knowledge of required operator qualifications;
- more effectively oversee their regulated boiler equipment; and
- track a power engineers' firing time (hours of professional work) in the plants they operate.
Boiler plant operating permits also help Technical Safety BC:
- understand the connected set of boiler equipment as a system;
- better be able to assess areas of risk; and
- clarify plant classification and staffing requirements with owners, users, and individuals who oversee plant operations.
Deadline
Please note that the deadline for applying for a plant operating permit is past due. The date to submit an operating permit was due by October 1, 2019. If a completed permit application was not submitted by this deadline to Technical Safety BC, this matter will be referred to the Provincial Safety Manager, Compliance & Enforcement, for further action in accordance with the Safety Standards Act and Technical Safety BC enforcement policy. This may include, but is not limited to, the possibility of a daily monetary penalty up to a pre-determined maximum value until such time as compliance with this regulatory requirement can be verified.
Boiler Plant Operating Permit Fees
For 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th class plants, see the Boiler and Pressure Vessels fee schedule.