Vancouver Wood Burning Appliance Restrictions Explained
Effective September 15th, 2022
As of September 15
th 2022 if a homeowner in Metro Vancouver wants to burn wood in their home they must meet the requirements of MVRD Bylaw 1303. These include registering your wood burning unit, using best practices for wood burning and ensuring your appliance produces fewer than 4.5 grams/hour in particulate matter emissions. In this article we will walk you through everything you need to know about MVRD Bylaw 1303 including who this regulation affects, an overview of Wood Burning best practices, a list of eligible Regency wood products as well as how to register your unit with the appropriate authorities.
What is MVRD Bylaw 1303?
MVRD Bylaw 1303 was first passed in 2020 and takes a phased approach to regulating the discharge of air contaminants from residential indoor wood burning appliances. The following is a quick synopsis of the different phases.
May 2021: Seasonal Prohibition - Homeowners cannot burn between May 15 and September 15 each year, unless it is their sole source of heat, they are in an off-grid rural home, or during an emergency.
September 2022: Declarations and Registration - If homeowners burn, they must declare their use of best burning practices and, in urban areas, register eligible appliances.
September 2025: Renewal and Restricted Use - Every three years homeowners must renew any declarations and registrations in urban areas. They cannot use non-registered appliances within urban areas except if their house-hold qualifies as low income or during an emergency.
Who Does this Affect?
Metro Vancouver is a collection of 21 municipalities, one Electoral Area, and one Treaty First Nation that covers a large portion of the area known as the lower mainland. If you live in one of the following areas the MVRD Bylaw 1303 Wood Burning Restrictions outlined in this article apply to you:
- Anmore
- Belcarra
- Bowen Island
- Burnaby
- Coquitlam
- Delta
- Electoral Area A
- Langley
- Township of Langley
- Lions Bay
- Maple Ridge
- New Westminster
- North Vancouver
- District of North Vancouver
- Pitt Meadows
- Port Coquitlam
- Port Moody
- Richmond
- Surrey
- Tsawwassen First Nation
- Vancouver
- West Vancouver
- White Rock
Source:
Metro Vancouver Members
Wood Burning Best Practices
Following wood burning best practices is essential to reducing the emissions of a wood burning fireplace appliance. Watch the video below to learn the best practices for burning wood from cutting/stackin/seasoning wood to startup/smoldering & even annual maintenance – if you follow our best practices you will be able to keep your wood unit burning cleanly for many years.
Eligible Regency Wood Stoves
The following is a list of Regency Wood Stoves, Wood Inserts & Wood Fireplaces that meet the requirements for Metro Vancouver Regional Districts Bylaw 1303 (MVRD Bylaw 1303, 2020 - 24635554)
Current Regency wood burning units will meet or exceed CSA/EPA standards of 2.5 g/hr – see how regulations have changed over the years. To see certifications visit our
EPA Data page and download for your specific unit.
Not sure what Regency model you have? Check out our
guide to identifying your model
Current Regency Models ( < 2.5 g/hr):
| Model |
Fireplace Type |
Emissions (g/hr) |
| I1150/Ci1150/Hi1150 |
Wood Insert |
1.7 |
| I1500 |
Wood Insert |
1.0 |
| I2450/Hi2450 |
Wood Insert |
1.4 |
| I2500 |
Wood Insert |
1.0 |
| Ci2700/Hi500 |
Wood Insert |
1.3 |
| F1150 |
Wood Stove |
1.7 |
| F1500 |
Wood Stove |
1.0 |
| F2450 |
Wood Stove |
2.3 |
| F2500 |
Wood Stove |
1.0 |
| F3500 |
Wood Stove |
0.9 |
| F5200 |
Wood Stove |
0.9 |
Previous Regency Models ( < 4.5 g/hr):
| Model |
Fireplace Type |
Emissions (g/hr) |
| Hi200 |
Wood Insert |
3 |
| Hi300 |
Wood Insert |
3.44 |
| Ci2600/Hi400 |
Wood Insert |
1.8 |
| I3100 |
Wood Insert |
4.2 |
| Ci1200/Ci1250 |
Wood Insert |
3 |
| H2100 |
Wood Insert |
3.5 |
| I1200 |
Wood Insert |
3 |
| I2400 |
Wood Insert |
3.4 |
| S2400 |
Wood Stove |
3.4 |
| F3100 |
Wood Stove |
4.2 |
| H200 |
Wood Stove |
3.97 |
| H300 |
Wood Stove |
4.1 |
| F5100 |
Wood Stove |
1.46 |
| CS1200 |
Wood Stove |
3 |
| F1100 |
Wood Stove |
3 |
| F2400 |
Wood Stove |
3.4 |
| R90 |
Wood Fireplace |
3.72 |
| EX90 |
Wood Fireplace |
3.72 |
Note: information is accurate at time of publishing but is subject to change - refer to our EPA Data page for the most up to date data
How to Register Your Eligible Wood Burning Unit?
To register your unit visit the
Metro Vancouver Bylaw Website. From there you will need to Register including the following information:
- The name(s) & contact information for the owner and operators of the appliance
- The address of the appliance
- The make/model of the appliance
- The certifications/evidence that the registered appliance meets the current standard.
In addition, starting in 2025, once every three (3) years homeowners must confirm their registration information is accurate, current, and submit a new declaration stating they are complying with best burning practices.
Still Have Questions? Reach Out to Local Regency Experts
If you still have questions about the process or if this bylaw relates to you?
Reach out to your local authorized Regency Fireplace Dealer – they are the local experts and will be able to explain exactly how this bylaw affects your current or future wood appliances.