City fees on a Metro Vancouver multiplex: DCL, ACC, DCC, and permits
Municipal fees on a Metro Vancouver multiplex come from four separate charges: the city's Development Cost Levy, Metro Vancouver's regional Development Cost Charge, building and trade permit fees, and, in the City of Vancouver from 30 September 2026, the new Amenity Cost Charge. Vancouver's fee regime changed twice in 2026, so a figure quoted from a 2025 article is out of date, and the date an application is submitted now determines which rates apply for up to five years.
Part of What it costs to build a multiplex in Metro Vancouver. Figures re-verified 2026-09-06.
Key takeaways
- Vancouver's Amenity Cost Charge takes effect 30 September 2026 at $2.32 per square foot for residential below 1.2 FSR, per the City's 14 July 2026 council report.
- The ACC replaces the historic use of density bonusing, which is what most multiplex lots previously paid.
- Applications in stream before 30 September 2026 are protected from the new ACC for up to five years.
- Vancouver's DCL sits at $49.88 per square metre city-wide plus $39.06 for utilities under By-law 12183, including a temporary 20 percent reduction.
The four charges, and which level of government sets each
The Development Cost Levy is set by the City of Vancouver and funds parks, childcare, replacement housing, and engineering infrastructure. The Development Cost Charge is set by Metro Vancouver and funds regional sewer and water. Building and trade permit fees are set by the municipality and scale with construction value. The Amenity Cost Charge is a new City of Vancouver charge funding community amenities such as community centres, libraries, and childcare space.
These are separate charges collected by different bodies for different purposes, and a multiplex pays all four. Municipalities outside Vancouver run their own DCL or DCC equivalents at their own rates, which is why a fee estimate is municipality-specific and does not transfer across a city line.
The Amenity Cost Charge, effective 30 September 2026
The ACC is a provincial tool created under the Local Government Act sections 570.4, 570.6 and 570.92, brought into force by OIC 355-2024 and OIC 356-2024. It lets a local government collect a fixed, published charge from new development toward community amenities, in place of negotiating a contribution project by project.
The City of Vancouver's council report dated 14 July 2026 sets the residential rates by density band. For a standard multiplex the relevant figure is the lowest band, because SSMUH multiplex projects generally build below 1.2 FSR.
The City's staff report states the ACC program replaces the historic use of density bonusing. That is the change that matters most to multiplex economics, because the density bonus contribution was the single largest municipal charge many multiplex lots faced.
| Density band | Rate per sq ft | Rate per sq m |
|---|---|---|
| Below 1.2 FSR (typical multiplex) | $2.32 | $24.97 |
| 1.2 to 1.5 FSR | $5.00 | $52.82 |
| Above 1.5 FSR | $10.00 | $107.64 |
In-stream protection and why the submission date matters
Applications submitted before 30 September 2026 are protected from the new ACC, and the City's report describes rate protection extending up to five years for applications already in stream at implementation.
For a project close to permit-ready in September 2026, that protection has real value, and it is worth confirming the exact in-stream test with the City for a specific application rather than assuming it applies. For a project that will not be ready until 2027, the ACC is simply a line in the pro forma from the start.
The wrong response is rushing an underdeveloped application in to beat a date. An application submitted incomplete gets held in review, and the holding costs of a stalled permit usually exceed the charge being avoided.
Development Cost Levies as they stand
Vancouver's DCL rates under By-law 12183, effective 10 December 2025, are $49.88 per square metre city-wide plus a Utilities DCL of $39.06 per square metre, a combined $88.94 per square metre for residential at or below 1.2 FSR. Those rates include a temporary 20 percent reduction approved by council, which runs until 30 September 2026 when the Financing Growth Update rates take effect.
The City's ten-year forecast for 2027 to 2036 projects $1.168 billion from the DCL program and $483 million from the ACC program, which indicates the DCL remains the larger of the two charges rather than being displaced by the new one.
Metro Vancouver's regional DCC is charged separately on top, and permit fees are charged separately again, scaled to the construction value declared on the application.
Frequently asked questions
What is Vancouver's Amenity Cost Charge and when does it start?
The Amenity Cost Charge is a City of Vancouver charge on new development that funds community amenities such as community centres, libraries, and childcare space. It takes effect 30 September 2026. For residential development below 1.2 FSR, which covers most SSMUH multiplex projects, the rate is $2.32 per square foot, or $24.97 per square metre, per the City's council report dated 14 July 2026.
Does the Amenity Cost Charge replace the density bonus contribution?
Yes. The City of Vancouver staff report states the ACC program replaces the historic use of density bonusing, with Community Amenity Contributions retained for limited future use. This matters to multiplex economics because the density bonus contribution was the largest municipal charge many multiplex lots faced. A published per-square-foot rate also removes the uncertainty of a contribution negotiated project by project.
What are the ACC rates at higher densities?
The City of Vancouver's 14 July 2026 council report sets three residential bands: $2.32 per square foot below 1.2 FSR, $5.00 per square foot between 1.2 and 1.5 FSR, and $10.00 per square foot above 1.5 FSR. The higher-density tier is phased in, starting at a 50 percent reduction and moving to the full rate after one year. Standard SSMUH multiplex projects generally build below 1.2 FSR and fall in the lowest band.
Is my project protected from the ACC if I applied before September 2026?
Applications in stream before 30 September 2026 are protected from the new ACC, and the City's report describes rate protection extending up to five years for those applications. Confirm the exact in-stream test with the City for your specific application rather than assuming it applies, because what counts as in stream depends on how complete the submission was on the cutoff date.
What is the Development Cost Levy rate in Vancouver right now?
Under By-law 12183, effective 10 December 2025, Vancouver's city-wide DCL is $49.88 per square metre and the Utilities DCL is $39.06 per square metre, a combined $88.94 per square metre for residential at or below 1.2 FSR. Those figures include a temporary 20 percent reduction approved by council, which runs until 30 September 2026 when the Financing Growth Update rates take effect.
What is the difference between a DCL, a DCC, and an ACC?
The Development Cost Levy is set by the City of Vancouver and funds parks, childcare, replacement housing, and engineering infrastructure. The Development Cost Charge is set by Metro Vancouver and funds regional sewer and water. The Amenity Cost Charge is a City of Vancouver charge funding community amenities such as community centres and libraries. A multiplex pays all three, plus building and trade permit fees, and each is collected by a different body.
Do city fees differ between Vancouver, Burnaby, and Surrey?
Yes. Each municipality sets its own DCL or DCC equivalent, its own permit fee schedule, and its own amenity charges, so a fee estimate does not transfer across a city line. Vancouver is the only Metro Vancouver municipality introducing an Amenity Cost Charge on 30 September 2026 under this specific program. Venture Pacific prices fees against the actual municipality during feasibility rather than applying a regional average.
Should I rush a permit application to beat the ACC deadline?
Rarely. An incomplete application submitted to beat 30 September 2026 gets held in review, and the holding costs of a stalled permit, including interest on land and carrying costs, usually exceed the charge avoided. A project genuinely close to permit-ready benefits from the in-stream protection. A project months away is better served by a complete application with the ACC priced into the pro forma from the start.
How are building permit fees calculated for a multiplex?
Building and trade permit fees are set by the municipality and scale with the construction value declared on the application, so a larger or more expensive building pays more. They are charged separately from the DCL, the DCC, and the ACC. Because they track declared construction value, the permit fee estimate firms up at the same point the hard cost estimate does, once drawings exist.
Are city fees paid up front or at completion?
Timing varies by charge and by municipality, and it materially affects project cash flow rather than total cost. Fees payable at permit issuance must be funded before construction financing is fully drawn, while fees payable later can be carried by the project. Because the payment point is set by bylaw and changes with programs like the Financing Growth Update, Venture Pacific confirms the current payment schedule with the municipality for each project.
Go deeper in the Journal
Sources and references
Rate and regulation figures on this page were re-verified on 2026-09-06. Construction cost ranges come from Venture Pacific's own Metro Vancouver projects and are described as such wherever they appear.
- Financing Growth Update: Amenity Cost Charge and Development Cost Levy programsCity of Vancouver, council report. Report dated 14 July 2026. Accessed 6 September 2026.
- Amenity cost charges, Local Government Act ss. 570.4, 570.6 and 570.92 (OIC 355-2024, OIC 356-2024)Province of British Columbia. Accessed 6 September 2026.
- Development Cost Levies Bulletin (By-law 12183)City of Vancouver. Rates effective 10 December 2025. Accessed 6 September 2026.
- Amenity Cost Charge Best Practices GuideProvince of British Columbia. Released 10 April 2025. Accessed 6 September 2026.
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