Burnaby Water Restrictions 2026
Published: May 1, 2026
Metro Vancouver Regional District · British Columbia
Restrictions Active - Stage 2 — All Lawn Watering Banned
0
Lawn Days/Week
Lawn: Prohibited every day
Allowed Hours
$500 per infraction
Fine
What is banned
Burnaby is under the Metro Vancouver Stage 2 ban. All private lawn watering is prohibited. Trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetable gardens follow the regional rules — sprinkler 5:00 AM to 9:00 AM for non-lawn plants, hand watering and drip irrigation any time.
What is still allowed
💧 Hand watering
Trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetable gardens — any time with a hand-held hose fitted with an automatic shut-off nozzle. Lawn hand watering is also banned.
🌿 Drip irrigation & soaker hoses
Permitted any time. Drip is exempt from sprinkler hour windows.
🥬 Vegetable gardens
Watering vegetable gardens by hand or drip is permitted at any time, even during the strictest stages.
🪣 Rain barrels
Rainwater collected on your own property is unrestricted and may be used at any time for any purpose.
Fines & enforcement
$500 per infraction
$500 fine per infraction with no warning period. Burnaby Engineering enforces Metro Vancouver Stage 2 under the Burnaby Water Restrictions Bylaw.
Effective: May 1, 2026🏠 Strata rules
BC strata corporations cannot fine residents or owners for brown or dormant lawns during active regional water restrictions under the BC Strata Property Act.
Why these restrictions exist in Burnaby
Burnaby is under Metro Vancouver Stage 2 water restrictions effective May 1, 2026. All private lawn watering is prohibited. Trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetable gardens follow the same rules as across Metro Vancouver — sprinkler watering 5–9 AM for non-lawn plants, hand watering and drip irrigation any time. Burnaby (~250K population) sits between Vancouver and the Tri-Cities and is home to Simon Fraser University, Metrotown, and Burnaby Mountain. The city's Engineering Department enforces watering restrictions under the Burnaby Water Restrictions Bylaw. Burnaby draws its water entirely from the Metro Vancouver regional system (Capilano, Seymour, and Coquitlam reservoirs). The city has no independent water source. Stage 3 is anticipated in early June 2026. Burnaby encourages residents to use rain barrels, mulch garden beds, and let lawns go dormant — grass recovers once rain returns in fall. Contact Burnaby Engineering at 604-293-6528 or visit burnaby.ca/watering-restrictions.
How to keep your Burnaby lawn alive
10 tips for Burnaby homeowners.
Let your Burnaby lawn go dormant — cool-season grasses survive 4–6 weeks without water by going brown.
Mow at 75–90 mm and leave clippings on the lawn to shade the soil and slow evaporation.
Do not fertilise during Stage 2 — save it for September after restrictions have ended.
Burnaby Mountain residents on east-facing slopes lose moisture faster — prioritise drip irrigation for trees and shrubs.
Install a rain barrel — Burnaby offers a residential rebate for rain-barrel installations through its WaterSmart programme.
Mulch landscape beds with 50–75 mm of bark or compost to retain moisture.
Vegetable gardens and food crops are exempt from time restrictions — water any time, by any method.
If you have a swimming pool, do not refill or top up — Stage 2 prohibits filling new and topping up existing pools.
Use the 5–9 AM sprinkler window for trees and shrubs only. Set the controller and confirm rain-sensor function.
Monitor burnaby.ca/watering-restrictions weekly — Stage 3 in early June would ban automatic irrigation for trees and shrubs as well.
Burnaby water restriction FAQs
Are there water restrictions in Burnaby?
Get alerts for Burnaby, British Columbia
We will email you when Burnaby restrictions change – escalations, new stages, or lifted restrictions.
No spam, ever. Unsubscribe anytime.
Other British Columbia cities
Community Reports & Questions
Share an update, ask a question, or report a change in your local restrictions.
No community reports yet
Be the first to share a local update, ask a question, or report a change in your area's restrictions.