Get Original Building Plans & Drawings | City of Maple Ridge

If you are planning a renovation, addition, or as-built survey in Maple Ridge, BC, obtaining the original building drawings on file can save significant time and cost. The City of Maple Ridge Building Department maintains records for most properties, though availability depends on the age of the structure.

This guide walks you through the process of accessing those records.

Official City of Maple Ridge Resources

• Building Department: Primary contact for building permit plans and property building records.
• Building Enquiries: buildingenquiries@mapleridge.ca | (604) 467-7311
• No Drawings Fallback (File Research and Letter): propertyinfo@mapleridge.ca

Request Original Building Drawings from the City of Maple Ridge — Step by Step

Step 1 — Verify Availability

Before submitting a formal request, contact the Building Department to confirm plans exist for your property. Older records may be on microfilm or may not have been retained if the building predates records retention bylaws.

• Email: buildingenquiries@mapleridge.ca
• Phone: (604) 467-7311

Step 2 — Determine Authorization Requirements

To protect the privacy of property owners, the City requires proof of entitlement before releasing building plans:

• Homeowners: Must provide proof of ownership (for example, recent tax notice or Land Title document).
• Agents and designers: Must provide a signed authorization letter from registered owner(s).

Step 3 — Submit a Formal Building Records Request

If the department confirms records are available, submit a written request. Maple Ridge often processes this as a Building Information Request (rather than full FOI) when you are owner or authorized agent.

1. Request method: Email a written request to buildingenquiries@mapleridge.ca.
2. Required info: Include property address, your contact information, and exact plan types needed (architectural, structural, plumbing).

Step 4 — Review Fees and Timeline

Building records requests typically involve:

• Research fee: Typically a non-refundable archive search fee (confirm current Building Bylaw rates).
• Reproduction fees: Scanning or printing charged per page.
• Timeline: Usually 5 to 10 business days for digital retrieval.

No Drawings Available? Request a Comfort Letter

If the Building Department cannot locate original plans, request a formal File Research and Letter (often called a Lawyer Letter).

• What it provides: Inspection results, occupancy dates, pending permit status, and property flags (legal, environmental, or safety).
• Request method: Email propertyinfo@mapleridge.ca.
• Fee: $200.00 for a single-family or two-family file search and letter.
• Why it helps: It provides an official legal snapshot when drawings are missing, so an as-built survey can move forward.

If no drawings exist and a comfort letter is not sufficient for your project, Canadian Blueprint can accurately reconstruct your floor plans so your renovation or addition can move forward with confidence. See As-Built Measuring for more information.

Need Help Reading or Using the Drawings?

Once you have obtained your original building drawings from the City of Maple Ridge, a professional designer can help you interpret historical data and identify differences between on-file plans and actual as-built conditions.

Contact Canadian Blueprint — we work with Maple Ridge homeowners and contractors regularly. We can convert City records into accurate, modern CAD drawings to streamline your renovation or addition permit application.