Does a BC home have asbestos, and what's needed before renovating?

A home built before the early 1990s may hold asbestos, and you can't tell by looking; before workers renovate or tear it down, a qualified person must check, and only a licensed contractor may remove it.

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What the answer means

Asbestos is a danger when it's disturbed or breaks down with age: touching, cutting or moving it puts fibres in the air. That makes it a question for the renovation you plan, more than for the day you move in.

How old: WorkSafeBC says asbestos was widely used in BC as a building material until the early 1990s, in dozens of items in older buildings, and that you can't tell whether a material holds it just by looking.
Why it matters: Breathing its fibres damages the lungs: asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma and pleural thickening, showing years later. The fibres come off as the material ages or when it's touched or moved, and linger in the air for hours (WorkSafeBC).
Before a renovation or demolition: Before work begins on renovating or demolishing a building, every employer responsible for the work, and the owner, must have a qualified person inspect the building and the site and identify any hazardous materials, asbestos and lead among them, by sampling what may hold them (Occupational Health and Safety Regulation s. 20.112 (1) to (3)).
Removing it: Asbestos abatement contractors must hold a licence to work in BC, and anyone doing asbestos abatement on buildings a certificate from WorkSafeBC. A notice of project goes to WorkSafeBC for all asbestos work, and a qualified person must certify the air is safe once it's removed (WorkSafeBC).
Doing your own work: The regulation binds employers and workers, so it reaches a homeowner's renovation once someone is hired to do it (our reading). WorkSafeBC's advice holds either way: don't touch or move a material you suspect, and have a qualified professional survey it.
What it means for a buyer: A home inspection may point out suspect materials, but it isn't an asbestos survey. For a home built before the early 1990s that you plan to renovate, the survey and any removal are part of the cost; ask the seller whether either has been done, and for the reports.

Our summary of WorkSafeBC's asbestos page and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (Part 20, s. 20.112), read 2026-10-19. A council may ask for a hazardous materials survey with a demolition or building permit; we haven't read each council's rules.

Sources, read 2026-10-19 and summarised in our words unless marked otherwise: Asbestos, WorkSafeBC; Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, Part 20 (s. 20.112), WorkSafeBC.

Before you buy: who to ask

The seller or their agent: When was the house built, and has a hazardous materials survey or any asbestos removal been done? Can I see the reports?
Your home inspector or a specialist: Which materials here could hold asbestos, and which would a renovation disturb?
The local government: Does a demolition or building permit here ask for a hazardous materials survey?

By place

Across BC, 12.5% of homes were built before 1961 (2021 census). Asbestos was used into the early 1990s, so the homes old enough to hold it are more than this share: read it as a floor. Places are listed by name, not ranked.

Place	Homes built before 1961
100 Mile House	12.2%
Abbotsford	5.0%
Alberni-Clayoquot, Electoral Area A	13.6%
Alberni-Clayoquot, Electoral Area B	22.0%
Alberni-Clayoquot, Electoral Area C	15.4%
Alberni-Clayoquot, Electoral Area D	15.5%
Alberni-Clayoquot, Electoral Area E	24.1%
Alberni-Clayoquot, Electoral Area F	26.3%
Alert Bay	47.2%
Anmore	4.7%
Armstrong	15.8%
Ashcroft	20.1%
Barriere	6.6%
Belcarra	0.0%
Bowen Island	11.0%
Bulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area A	8.2%
Bulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area B	11.3%
Bulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area C	1.7%
Bulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area D	11.4%
Bulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area E	11.4%
Bulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area F	6.0%
Bulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area G	9.7%
Burnaby	10.9%
Burns Lake	15.9%
Cache Creek	11.6%
Campbell River	8.1%
Canal Flats	15.1%
Cariboo, Electoral Area A	8.3%
Cariboo, Electoral Area B	11.0%
Cariboo, Electoral Area C	4.4%
Cariboo, Electoral Area D	11.4%
Cariboo, Electoral Area E	7.2%
Cariboo, Electoral Area F	6.7%
Cariboo, Electoral Area G	7.5%
Cariboo, Electoral Area H	13.0%
Cariboo, Electoral Area I	9.8%
Cariboo, Electoral Area J	13.1%
Cariboo, Electoral Area K	19.5%
Cariboo, Electoral Area L	7.4%
Castlegar	25.4%
Central Coast, Electoral Area A	22.2%
Central Coast, Electoral Area C	17.2%
Central Coast, Electoral Area D	11.9%
Central Coast, Electoral Area E	41.7%
Central Kootenay, Electoral Area A	25.1%
Central Kootenay, Electoral Area B	17.7%
Central Kootenay, Electoral Area C	11.8%
Central Kootenay, Electoral Area D	12.6%
Central Kootenay, Electoral Area E	18.9%
Central Kootenay, Electoral Area F	19.0%
Central Kootenay, Electoral Area G	18.1%
Central Kootenay, Electoral Area H	18.2%
Central Kootenay, Electoral Area I	15.0%
Central Kootenay, Electoral Area J	18.5%
Central Kootenay, Electoral Area K	9.8%
Central Okanagan	5.0%
Central Okanagan West	3.5%
Central Saanich	8.9%
Chase	18.7%
Chetwynd	6.6%
Chilliwack	11.3%
Clearwater	6.1%
Clinton	34.4%
Coldstream	9.6%
Columbia-Shuswap, Electoral Area A	11.1%
Columbia-Shuswap, Electoral Area B	5.1%
Columbia-Shuswap, Electoral Area C	6.8%
Columbia-Shuswap, Electoral Area D	10.8%
Columbia-Shuswap, Electoral Area E	10.7%
Columbia-Shuswap, Electoral Area F	5.1%
Colwood	9.8%
Comox	9.1%
Comox Valley, Electoral Area A	17.0%
Comox Valley, Electoral Area B (Lazo North)	11.9%
Comox Valley, Electoral Area C (Puntledge - Black Creek)	10.7%
Coquitlam	6.1%
Courtenay	8.9%
Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area A	7.9%
Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area B	8.1%
Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area C	8.1%
Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area D	11.4%
Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area E	22.5%
Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area F	21.9%
Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area G	19.7%
Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area H	12.8%
Cowichan Valley, Electoral Area I	28.8%
Cranbrook	17.0%
Creston	24.3%
Cumberland	26.1%
Daajing Giids	14.4%
Dawson Creek	23.8%
Delta	7.0%
Duncan	26.5%
East Kootenay, Electoral Area A	5.1%
East Kootenay, Electoral Area B	10.3%
East Kootenay, Electoral Area C	7.1%
East Kootenay, Electoral Area E	11.3%
East Kootenay, Electoral Area F	2.2%
East Kootenay, Electoral Area G	17.0%
Elkford	1.3%
Enderby	19.2%
Esquimalt	29.5%
Fernie	22.3%
Fort St. James	5.9%
Fort St. John	6.5%
Fraser Lake	3.3%
Fraser Valley, Electoral Area A	19.2%
Fraser Valley, Electoral Area B	17.1%
Fraser Valley, Electoral Area C	7.3%
Fraser Valley, Electoral Area D	3.6%
Fraser Valley, Electoral Area E	6.0%
Fraser Valley, Electoral Area F	16.1%
Fraser Valley, Electoral Area G	32.1%
Fraser Valley, Electoral Area H	13.5%
Fraser-Fort George, Electoral Area A	3.3%
Fraser-Fort George, Electoral Area C	3.3%
Fraser-Fort George, Electoral Area D	9.6%
Fraser-Fort George, Electoral Area E	17.8%
Fraser-Fort George, Electoral Area F	12.7%
Fraser-Fort George, Electoral Area G	0.0%
Fraser-Fort George, Electoral Area H	10.1%
Fruitvale	27.5%
Gibsons	12.3%
Gold River	4.1%
Golden	10.1%
Grand Forks	24.9%
Granisle	0.0%
Greenwood	41.3%
Harrison Hot Springs	6.8%
Hazelton	41.7%
Highlands	4.0%
Hope	15.3%
Houston	5.1%
Hudson's Hope	4.0%
Invermere	11.7%
Juan de Fuca (Part 1)	6.8%
Juan de Fuca (Part 2)	17.4%
Kamloops	10.6%
Kaslo	32.4%
Kelowna	6.4%
Kent	14.0%
Keremeos	13.0%
Kimberley	44.2%
Kitimat	38.6%
Kitimat-Stikine, Electoral Area B	14.1%
Kitimat-Stikine, Electoral Area C (Part 1)	8.3%
Kitimat-Stikine, Electoral Area D	0.0%
Kitimat-Stikine, Electoral Area E	9.4%
Kitimat-Stikine, Electoral Area F	11.8%
Kootenay Boundary B / Lower Columbia-Old-Glory	29.1%
Kootenay Boundary C / Christina Lake	14.5%
Kootenay Boundary D / Rural Grand Forks	22.1%
Kootenay Boundary E / West Boundary	11.7%
Kootenay Boundary, Electoral Area A	29.0%
Ladysmith	21.9%
Lake Country	6.5%
Lake Cowichan	25.4%
Langford	4.0%
Langley (district municipality)	3.7%
Langley (city)	3.8%
Lantzville	12.5%
Lillooet	14.4%
Lions Bay	2.0%
Logan Lake	0.9%
Lumby	18.6%
Lytton	55.6%
Mackenzie	2.2%
Maple Ridge	8.3%
Masset	13.9%
McBride	24.5%
Merritt	17.8%
Metchosin	13.5%
Metro Vancouver, Electoral Area A	4.8%
Midway	27.7%
Mission	11.3%
Montrose	33.7%
Mount Waddington, Electoral Area A	36.3%
Mount Waddington, Electoral Area C	10.3%
Mount Waddington, Electoral Area D	20.6%
Nakusp	33.6%
Nanaimo	13.0%
Nanaimo, Electoral Area A	10.9%
Nanaimo, Electoral Area B	4.4%
Nanaimo, Electoral Area C	7.7%
Nanaimo, Electoral Area E	3.4%
Nanaimo, Electoral Area F	6.3%
Nanaimo, Electoral Area G	4.1%
Nanaimo, Electoral Area H	5.5%
Nelson	45.8%
New Denver	55.8%
New Hazelton	7.3%
New Westminster	18.6%
North Coast, Electoral Area A	50.0%
North Coast, Electoral Area D	4.1%
North Coast, Electoral Area E	33.3%
North Cowichan	14.8%
North Okanagan, Electoral Area B	13.2%
North Okanagan, Electoral Area C	8.5%
North Okanagan, Electoral Area D	13.2%
North Okanagan, Electoral Area E	3.3%
North Okanagan, Electoral Area F	12.3%
North Saanich	11.6%
North Vancouver (district municipality)	21.5%
North Vancouver (city)	13.8%
Northern Rockies	4.7%
Oak Bay	59.0%
Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area A	13.7%
Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area B	22.3%
Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area C	19.0%
Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area D	7.6%
Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area E	9.6%
Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area F	20.1%
Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area G	19.3%
Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area H	9.9%
Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area I	6.2%
Oliver	18.6%
Osoyoos	7.8%
Parksville	5.6%
Peace River, Electoral Area B	4.6%
Peace River, Electoral Area C	5.3%
Peace River, Electoral Area D	10.7%
Peace River, Electoral Area E	5.5%
Peachland	3.7%
Pemberton	1.5%
Penticton	15.3%
Pitt Meadows	3.1%
Port Alberni	38.3%
Port Alice	4.8%
Port Clements	13.2%
Port Coquitlam	5.0%
Port Edward	14.7%
Port Hardy	6.4%
Port McNeill	5.4%
Port Moody	6.9%
Pouce Coupe	20.3%
Powell River	36.6%
Prince George	10.5%
Prince Rupert	36.0%
Princeton	25.8%
qathet, Electoral Area A	13.4%
qathet, Electoral Area B	9.0%
qathet, Electoral Area C	19.6%
qathet, Electoral Area D	20.2%
qathet, Electoral Area E	3.3%
Qualicum Beach	6.3%
Quesnel	15.9%
Radium Hot Springs	1.6%
Revelstoke	23.3%
Richmond	3.4%
Rossland	46.5%
Saanich	23.9%
Salmo	34.5%
Salmon Arm	10.5%
Saltspring Island	10.6%
Sayward	6.5%
Sechelt	6.1%
Sicamous	6.0%
Sidney	5.2%
Silverton	44.4%
Slocan	34.4%
Smithers	15.3%
Sooke	7.2%
Southern Gulf Islands	9.9%
Spallumcheen	14.3%
Sparwood	7.4%
Squamish	4.0%
Squamish-Lillooet, Electoral Area A	23.1%
Squamish-Lillooet, Electoral Area B	5.3%
Squamish-Lillooet, Electoral Area C	8.0%
Squamish-Lillooet, Electoral Area D	13.0%
Stewart	20.4%
Stikine Region	8.9%
Strathcona, Electoral Area A	11.8%
Strathcona, Electoral Area B	12.5%
Strathcona, Electoral Area C	10.9%
Strathcona, Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake)	6.7%
Summerland	19.0%
Sun Peaks	0.0%
Sunshine Coast, Electoral Area A	10.2%
Sunshine Coast, Electoral Area B	7.0%
Sunshine Coast, Electoral Area D	15.2%
Sunshine Coast, Electoral Area E	9.3%
Sunshine Coast, Electoral Area F	16.4%
Surrey	4.3%
Tahsis	23.3%
Taylor	10.1%
Telkwa	17.9%
Terrace	12.9%
Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area A (Wells Gray Country)	9.3%
Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area B (Thompson Headwaters)	27.3%
Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area E (Bonaparte Plateau)	9.2%
Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area I (Blue Sky Country)	12.9%
Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area J (Copper Desert Country)	10.5%
Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area L (Grasslands)	10.5%
Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area M (Beautiful Nicola Valley - North)	13.0%
Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area N (Beautiful Nicola Valley - South)	15.8%
Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area O (Lower North Thompson)	8.4%
Thompson-Nicola, Electoral Area P (Rivers and the Peaks)	5.8%
Tofino	4.2%
Trail	63.2%
Tumbler Ridge	2.3%
Ucluelet	10.2%
Valemount	10.7%
Vancouver	20.4%
Vanderhoof	10.6%
Vernon	11.7%
Victoria	30.6%
View Royal	13.6%
Warfield	63.8%
Wells	75.0%
West Kelowna	2.2%
West Vancouver	21.1%
Whistler	0.7%
White Rock	9.1%
Williams Lake	9.2%
Zeballos	33.3%

The other 3 places' figures are withheld by Statistics Canada, which rounds and suppresses small counts. Shares are of the homes people lived in on census day (occupied private dwellings).

Source: Census of Population 2021, Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada Open Licence).