Before committing to a Vancouver commercial space, establish whether the building can support your proposed use and renovation. A Part 11 feasibility review can identify potential existing building upgrades while you still have options over the layout, scope and location. The useful question is specific: what work and approvals could this business need in this space?
Use the following checklist to organize the early discussion with the owner, design team and City. Keep the assumptions visible so that an attractive floor plan does not become a budget based on missing information.
1. Describe the business and check zoning separately
Write a short operational brief: activities, anticipated occupants, public access, operating areas, equipment, storage and any food preparation. Explain what will change from the previous tenant’s operation. A business name or listing category alone may leave the design team guessing about how the space will function.
Zoning and building occupancy classification answer different questions. Zoning addresses whether the proposed land use is permitted at the location. The building review considers the occupancy classification and construction and safety requirements. The City’s Commercial Tenant Resource Guide explains the distinction between development and building permits, including that a use change can require a development permit even without construction. Confirm both paths for the actual proposal.
2. Establish what was previously approved
Ask for approved drawings, available occupancy records, earlier building permits and code reports. Compare the proposed tenant area with the approved suite boundaries and uses. List apparent differences for review, including added rooms, combined suites or changes to access routes. For an occupancy change, establish the last legally authorized major occupancy and relevant change history, as discussed in the City’s Part 11 notes.
Arrange access for the consultant to review relevant visible conditions. A photograph or leasing plan may be useful for an initial discussion, but it can leave the construction of walls, shared corridors and building systems unresolved. Keep a record of which findings come from approved documents, site observations or information still awaiting confirmation.
3. Confirm whether this is a first tenant improvement
The City’s tenant improvement energy guidance distinguishes a first TI in a space never previously occupied from alterations to a previously occupied space. For energy compliance, it treats a first TI as new construction under current requirements; previously occupied non-residential spaces follow the Part 11 TI path. Establish that history early and check the applicable checklist and exemptions.
Give the design team the base building permit information and any available energy documents. Ask them to identify the applicable requirements and submission checklists. Record the basis alongside the wider building-code review so that different disciplines work from the same assumptions.
4. Define the work before assigning upgrade levels
Prepare a marked plan showing demolition, new construction, retained areas and any work outside the suite. Identify proposed changes to occupant numbers, floor openings, mezzanines and occupancy. Those details allow the consultant to review the applicable Part 11 work categories and triggers.
The resulting assessment should explain which fire and life safety, structural, non-structural and accessibility upgrades need further design. Our Vancouver Part 11 analysis guide introduces the F, S, N and A categories. For space planning, the occupant load analysis guide explains why a floor-area calculation is only the start of a capacity review.
5. Identify shared systems and responsibilities
Bring the landlord into discussions about work affecting common areas or shared systems. Ask the team to identify potential access constraints, shutdowns, investigations and coordination with other occupants. The cost and timing of those tasks should appear in the feasibility discussion.
For each outstanding item, record the information needed, who will provide it and who will design the response. Separate the tenant fit-out budget from allowances for unresolved building work. This gives the tenant and owner concrete information for discussing responsibilities with their respective advisers.
6. Check the permit route and decision points
Some office alterations may qualify for the City’s Tenant Improvement Program. Eligibility depends on the building and proposed work; changes in major occupancy and many more extensive alterations are excluded. Confirm eligibility against the current requirements before using that route in the programme.
Prepare a decision list before fixing an opening date: unresolved code questions, required professional designs, City review items, construction work and closeout activities. A preliminary consultant’s review helps define those steps, while the City retains responsibility for permit decisions. Update the assessment when the business plan or proposed layout changes.
What to send for a Part 11 feasibility review
Provide the property address, suite number, existing drawings, intended business activities, proposed layout and target schedule. Note whether the space has been occupied previously and identify the owner’s contact for building records. Noven’s Vancouver Part 11 Analysis and Consulting service can be scoped around these questions. Request a proposal to establish the review deliverables and information needed for your space.
Published October 26, 2026. City references reviewed on that date. Requirements depend on the applicable by-law edition, approved use, existing conditions and proposed work.