Essential Services

*TTY Users Call 911 (All services will be dispatched)

Bowen Island Municipal Government

Bylaw Services

Bylaws regulate activities on Bowen Island such as parking on the street, dog control, noise and land use. Bylaw Services provides education and enforces the Municipality’s bylaws using a fair, respectful and consistent approach.

Bylaw Services responds to requests. Most issues are resolved through voluntary compliance, however, when this does not happen, the appropriate enforcement action is taken according to the Municipality’s Bylaw Services Investigation Policy.

For urgent matters after hours, please leave a message at 604-328-5499 and an officer will call you back. If your request is of an urgent nature, please call the RCMP non-emergency number at 604-947-0516. Please be aware that the RCMP may not be on shift when you call, so be prepared for a delay in response. If you are experiencing an emergency please call 911.

Building and Planning

Permits are required for building on Bowen Island. For all inquiries please contact the Municipal Hall.
604-947-4255 .

Fire and Burning

Churches

Dogs on Bowen Island

Garbage and Green Waste Pickup

Green waste is picked up every Wednesday. In the event that a pickup day falls on a statutory holiday, pickup will occur on the first business day after the statutory holiday.

Garbage is picked up every two weeks. If you are not sure which day your garbage is collected please review the Collection Map and Collection Calendar on the municipal website at www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca or call Bowen Waste Solutions (number above).

Each residential property can put out ONE can of non-organic garbage. The fee is included in property taxes. Additional cans for secondary suites and/or one-time only pick-ups will require a valid garbage decal, which can be purchased through Bowen Waste Solutions at 604-947-2255.

Health

Crisis Contacts

Health Services – Family Physicians

Health Support Services

Hunting

Bowhunting on Bowen Island (including Crown Land) is permitted only with a permit. Please contact Bylaw Services at 604-947-4255 for permit information.

The discharge of firearms, compound bows and crossbows is prohibited at all times.

Mail Services

Mail is delivered to General Delivery, post office boxes and rural route boxes. See the Bowen Island Post Office to arrange for a box.

Rural route addresses must include a street address and postal code.

Mail posted on Bowen for Bowen residents does not leave the island and is delivered directly the following day. For postal codes anywhere in North America call: 1-900-565-2633.

Emergency Program Coordinators

Emergency Support Services

ESS Director: Carolyn McDonald, boweness@bimbc.ca

ESS provides short term assistance to British Columbians who are forced to leave their homes because of fire, floods, earthhquakes or other emergencies. Assistance may include food, lodging, clothing, emotional support and family reunification services. Although ESS is designed to provide services to individuals affected by large complex disasters or ermergencies, ESS may also be provided during smaller emergencies, for example a single house fire or emergencies affecting 1 to 2 families in a community.

Noise ByLaw

Please do not create noise which disturbs your neighbours. There is a noise bylaw in effect on Bowen Island. Construction and yard maintenance noises are permitted during specific hours each day. Noise Exemption Permits are available for noises outside of allowable hours. Please contact Bylaw Services at 604-947-4255 for permit application information and noise complaints.

Library

The Bowen Island Public Library is a welcoming place for all. We have books, movies, eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines, video courses, programs, take-home kits, technology help, printing/faxing/scanning, public computers, and many other services available for free. 

Get your library card today and visit bowenlibrary.ca to start browsing our catalogue and see all we have to offer.  We hope to see you soon!

Parks & Environment

For maps of Bowen Island’s parks, trails and beaches or information on beach water quality please visit www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca. Concerns such as trees down on trails can be reported by calling the Municipal Hall at 604-947-4255. For Emergencies and after hours, call 604-328-5499.

Recreation

Visit bowencommunityrecreation.com to browse a catalogue of community events and activities. Register online or in person at the recreation office located at 1041 Mt.Gardner Road. We offer a variety of programs and activities for all ages including fitness, sports activities, day camps and a weight room. To stay up-to-date, please “like” our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bowenrecreation

Recycling

For hours of operation and updates on what items are accepted for recycling, please visit the BIRD website. For information on toxic material call Bowen Waste at the number above.

Roads

The posted speed limit in effect all over Bowen Island is either 30 or 40 km. Stop when you see the school bus with its lights flashing.

Expect to meet slow moving machinery, horse riders, cyclists, pedestrians, work crews and, in winter, snow plows and sand trucks.

Emergency situation regarding roads (after hours), call 604-834-0770.

Transportation

About the Bowen Island Ferry

The ferry is loaded on a first-come, first-serve basis. Save on your ferry tickets by investing in an Experience Card, available at the ticket booth. Seniors travel free on all B.C. Ferry sailings Monday through Thursday except holidays. Pharmacare Card is your ticket. You will have to pay for your vehicle if you take your car.

Wednesday is dangerous cargo day. No passengers are allowed on the 9am leaving Horseshoe Bay or the 4pm run leaving Bowen Island (times are approximate, please check their website for the current schedule).

Medical Travel Assistance

Medical Travel Assistance Program (TAP) offers a discount to residents and escorts who must travel for non-emergency medical care. Ask your healthcare practioner for a stamped TAP form.

Accessibility at BC Ferries:

For more details on the information below, visit www.bcferries.com/travel_planning/disabilities. Discount fares are available for passengers with a permanent disability. Download an application form for a Disabled Status Identification (DSI) Card.

Wheelchair/Walking Aid Access in Horseshoe Bay WITH a vehicle – Elevator access is on a first come first served basis – and if you use a wheelchair, tell the ticket agent when you arrive.

Wheelchair/walking aid access in Horseshoe Bay WITHOUT vehicle – If a wheelchair is needed (or you have your own) call 1-888-BCFERRY (223-3779) 24 hours in advance. Arrive at terminal 1 hour in advance and staff will take you onto the ferry. Please note BC Ferries’ wheelchairs cannot be taken off the vessel at Snug Cove.

Visitor Passes – a companion can assist a person with disability on and off ship with a visitor pass obtained at customer service (behind foot passenger booth) in exchange for providing Government issued picture I.D. and phone number. If assistance is required on ferries, you need to travel with a companion.

When the Queen of Capilano is having an annual re-fit, some of these policies don’t apply. e.g. there is no elevator on the Bowen Queen. 

Medical practitioners can apply on your behalf to BC Ferries for a medical assured loading letter when a patient is compromised by waiting extended periods of time. If there is an overload and you have an assured loading letter, inform an employee and they will direct you to the appropriate toll booth; a minimum 30 min. check-in before sailing may be enforced. See bcferries.com/book-sailings/medical-assured-loading for details.

Bowen Island Ferry Line up – Once you have your medical assured loading letter, take it to Bowen’s Municipal Hall for a card to put in the window of your vehicle for Bowen Island loading. Parking for assured loading passengers is in the cross-hatch area in front of the General Store. There is signage designating this special permit area. Ensure the card is prominently displayed in your front or back window. 

Utilities

Beach Water Quality

Bowen Island recreational beaches are sampled throughout the swimming season to determine compliance with the Canadian Recreational Water Guidelines. These guidelines establish a level of 200 e-coli bacteria (an indicator organism associated with sewage contamination) per 100 mL of water for recreational activities. The risk of acquiring an infection is increased above this level of contamination. Weekly results should be averaged over a period of time. Higher values week over week indicate the trend, not necessarily individual weekly results. The “e-coli counts” for Bowen Island beaches are provided by Vancouver Coastal Health and are updated based on two samples per beach. 

Vancouver Coastal Health and Bowen Island Municipality continue to monitor the beach water quality testing results and appropriate signage is placed at specific locations when required. For more information please see www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/beaches or call Bowen Island Municipality 604-947-4255.

Non-Muni Water Systems

Drinking Water Quality

For information on water quality, please see www.bowenislandmunicipality.ca/water-and-sewer