HomePoly-BServicesAboutContactRequest an EstimateCall 604 808 4477
City and District of North Vancouver

Your local plumber
in North Vancouver.

Prosafe is a North Vancouver plumbing company. We repipe Poly-B homes, replace water service lines, test backflow assemblies and handle everyday plumbing for houses, townhomes and strata buildings in both North Vancouvers.

Home · Service Areas · North Vancouver

Lower Lonsdale, North Vancouver · Photo: GoToVan, CC BY 2.0
One name, two municipalities

The City and the District each have their own rules.

North Vancouver is two municipalities. The City of North Vancouver is the compact centre around Lonsdale; the District of North Vancouver wraps around it, from Deep Cove to Lynn Valley and Edgemont. Each has its own permit office, its own water bylaw and its own inspectors, so the paperwork for the same job can differ by a few streets.

We work in both, so we know which office your job goes to before we start.

  • Permits and inspections booked with the right municipality
  • Backflow test reports filed the way each one asks
  • Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Homes in North Vancouver

Two very different housing stocks.

The City is mostly apartments, and about half its homes are condominiums; about half the District's homes are single-detached houses. In both, about one in four homes was built between 1981 and 2000, a period that includes most of the years when Poly-B was used, and 30 to 36% were built between 1961 and 1980.

City of North Vancouver

Occupied homes27,295
Built 1981 to 200024.2%
Built 1961 to 198030.2%
Apartment buildings66.6%
Condominium48.9%

District of North Vancouver

Occupied homes32,700
Built 1981 to 200022.9%
Built 1961 to 198036.4%
Single-detached houses49.3%
Condominium24.1%

Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population (occupied private dwellings).

Poly-B and repiping in North Vancouver

House or strata, the repipe is planned differently.

Poly-B was used in many BC homes built from the late 1970s to the mid 1990s, and North Vancouver has about 14,000 homes built between 1981 and 2000. How we plan the repipe depends on the kind of home.

Houses (about half the District)

A whole-home repipe from the main shut-off to every fixture, with planned access openings and the house kept livable. In older homes we also check the main shut-off, the pressure regulator and the water service line into the house.

Strata buildings (about half the City)

Which pipes are part of a unit and which are common property depends on the strata plan, and the strata's bylaws set who repairs what, so a strata repipe starts with the council and the property manager. We plan the access, the water shut-downs and the notices with them, and give you the documents the strata asks for.

Prices and financing: the Poly-B replacement page has our price ranges, what moves the price, and monthly payments through iFinance. Every job gets a fixed written quote first.
North Vancouver water rules, explained

What the City and the District ask of homeowners.

Plain-language summaries of the official rules, each with its source. Always check the current version for your property.

City of North Vancouver

Backflow assemblies tested every July

The City's water bylaw requires backflow prevention on water serving docks, piers and underground sprinklers. Each assembly must be tested in July of every year after it is installed, by a tester listed with BC's certification program, and the tester's certificate goes to the City. Reza is a BCWWA-certified backflow assembly tester, and we submit the reports for you.

Source: Water Utility Bylaw No. 6417, s. 603.2 and Schedule G
District of North Vancouver

A backflow test report before the final inspection

When a plumbing permit includes a backflow prevention assembly, the District asks for the assembly's test report before the permit's final inspection. We test the assembly and provide the report with the rest of the permit paperwork.

Source: District of North Vancouver, plumbing permits
District of North Vancouver

A pressure regulator at 75 psi or more

The District's waterworks bylaw says the owner must install a sand strainer, a pressure regulator and a relief valve on the water service of a building where the street main nearby runs at 75 psi or more. The District's system has 26 pressure zones, so street pressure depends on where your home is.

Sources: Waterworks Regulation Bylaw 2279, s. 20; 2025 Water Quality Report
City of North Vancouver

The pipe on your side of the property line is yours

The City owns the service pipe from the main to at or near the property line. The private service pipe from there to the building is the owner's to maintain and keep free of leaks, and every new or replaced water service connection needs a water meter. The City does not guarantee water pressure, and owners who depend on a continuous supply must provide their own equipment, such as pressure regulators.

Source: Water Utility Bylaw No. 6417, definitions, s. 508.6, 602.1 and 801
Both municipalities

Permits for repipes and water services

The City requires a plumbing permit for any installation, addition or alteration to a plumbing system. The District requires one to install or alter fixtures and systems, including the water service and hot water tanks, but not to repair a leak or clear a stoppage. In both, a homeowner can take out their own permit only for a single-family home they live in or plan to live in (in the District, a detached home with no secondary suite); otherwise a licensed contractor applies.

Sources: City plumbing permits; District plumbing permits
District of North Vancouver

New water connections come with a meter

Every new water connection in the District needs a water meter. For a building permit valued at $300,000 or more, the District usually requires a new water connection and meter as well, and the owner pays for the servicing and metering upgrades.

Sources: Bylaw 2279, s. 6 and 21; Service connections and fees

The City's system has five pressure zones (2024 Drinking Water Quality Annual Report).

A North Vancouver job

Poly-B repiping in Upper Lonsdale.

Poly-B repiping in Upper Lonsdale, North Vancouver. These project photos show existing pipework, replacement water lines and the wall and ceiling access used during the work.

Grey Poly-B water lines in an opened wall before a repipe in Upper Lonsdale, North Vancouver
BeforeExisting grey pipework exposed through a wall access opening.
New replacement water lines in the same wall section during a repipe in Upper Lonsdale, North Vancouver
AfterReplacement water lines in the same wall section, before wall closure.
Close view of replacement water-line branches and fittings in a ceiling opening, Upper Lonsdale, North Vancouver
DetailClose view of replacement water-line branches and fittings.
North Vancouver, answered

Questions North Vancouver homeowners ask us.

Do I need a permit to repipe my home in North Vancouver?

Yes, in both municipalities. The City of North Vancouver requires a plumbing permit for any installation, addition or alteration to a plumbing system, and the District of North Vancouver requires one to install or alter plumbing systems, including the water service. Repairing a leak does not need one in the District. We advise you on the permit for your job, apply for it and book the inspections at no extra service charge; the permit and inspection fees are charged at the municipality’s actual cost, with no markup.

Are the City and the District of North Vancouver the same?

No. They are two separate municipalities, each with its own permit office, its own water bylaw and its own inspectors. Your property tax notice shows which one your home is in. We work in both.

Does the City of North Vancouver require yearly backflow testing?

For the backflow assemblies its water bylaw covers, yes. The bylaw requires backflow prevention on water serving docks, piers and underground sprinklers, and each assembly must be tested in July of every year after it is installed by an approved tester, with the tester's certificate sent to the City. Reza is a BCWWA-certified backflow assembly tester.

Do I need a pressure regulator on my water line in the District of North Vancouver?

The District's waterworks bylaw says an owner must install a sand strainer, a pressure regulator and a relief valve on the water service where the pressure in the street main near the building is 75 psi or more. The District runs 26 pressure zones, so street pressure depends on where your home is. We can check yours and install or replace a regulator.

What are your hours?

Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. We are closed on weekends and statutory holidays. You can send us a request through the website or WhatsApp at any time, and we reply during business hours.

Rated 5.0 on Google
No obligation

Get a fixed-price quote for your North Vancouver home.

Tell us what is going on and where you are. We reply Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.