Blasting
Updated July 29, 2024
Blasting involves the controlled use of explosives to change the landscape. What you need to know:
- Regulation and Safety: WorkSafeBC oversees all blasting activities in British Columbia, ensuring workplace safety and certifying blasting professionals.
- Insurance Compliance: Blasting companies must also follow their insurance companies’ requirements.
- Permits: A Blasting Notification Permit is needed before any blasting work can begin.
- Wildfire Act: Blasting must comply with provincial regulations under section 6 of the Wildfire Act due to its high-risk nature.
Contact
Once a blasting permit is issued, further questions regarding blasting should be directed to the blasting contact noted below or WorkSafe BC. This includes the duration of blasting, pre-blast surveys, property damage and warning signals.
Blasting is provincially regulated:
- The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is concerned with the movement of explosives.
- The Ministry of Energy, Mines & Petroleum Resources is concerned with blasting techniques.
- Natural Resources Canada is concerned with the proper handling and storage of blasting materials.
In addition to WorkSafeBC, blasting companies must also comply with the requirements of their insurance companies. Insurance companies have requirements for blasting notification, pre-blast surveys and intensities of allowable blasts. Blasting companies are responsible for recording information for every blast by using a seismograph on the worksite – an instrument used to measure the intensity of the blasts.
Blasting Information
Blasting Permits
- No person may blast, carry on blasting operations, or use any explosive agent within the District of Sooke without first obtaining a blasting permit.
- To apply for a blasting permit, a person must submit a blasting permit application in the form accompanied by the application fee “District’s Fees and Charges Bylaw”
- An applicant for a blasting permit must hold a valid Provincial Blasting Certificate.
- An applicant for a blasting permit must provide proof of liability insurance for the term of the permit with a minimum coverage of $2,000,000 per occurrence and naming the District of Sooke as an additional insured.
- Where blasting is required for excavation for the construction of a building, a holder of a blasting permit must first obtain a building permit for the proposed building.
- A permit expires and the right of the permit holder under the permit is terminated one year after the date the permit is issued.
- A permit is deemed invalid if the insurance provided under section 5 has expired and the permit holder has not submitted a new Certificate of Insurance for the remainder of the term of the permit.
Blasting Regulation and Safety
- Safe blasting practices are dictated by WorkSafeBC and enforced by the same. Those that complete the blasting are certified and are issued blasters certificates through WorkSafeBC. Please contact WorkSafeBC (Victoria) with any safety concerns.
- A person may only blast, carry on blasting operations, use an explosive agent, or operate drills, compressors or other equipment used to prepare land for blasting, during the times specified in section 3.2(g) of the Noise Control Bylaw.
- No person may blast, carry on blasting, or use an explosive agent without giving notice at least 24 hours before the blasting commences to
- (a) owners and occupants of any building within a radius of 100 m of the blasting site;
- (b) the School District, Principal or person in charge of a school within a radius of 300 m of the blasting site; and
- (c) the District of Sooke in writing, including the site location and site contact information.
Notifications
| Anticipated END Date | Duration | Area (Address) | Documents/Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 4, 2024 | Starting December 4, 2024 for 2 weeks | 1000 Sooke Point Place | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| November 30, 2024 | Starting November 30, 2023 for 1-year | Maple Park Terrace | Contact: Chris Conley, Little Rock Drillings and Blasting Ltd. 250-365-9833 |
| August 13, 2024 | Starting Monday, July 29, 2024 for 2 weeks | 2770 Phillips Road | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| August 6, 2024 | Starting Tuesday, July 23, 2024 for 2 weeks | 1720 Connie Road | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| July 31, 2024 | Starting Wednesday, July 17, 2024 for 2 weeks | 2600 Nickson Way | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| June 25, 2024 | Starting Tuesday, June 18, 2024 for 1 week | 7440 Thorton Heights | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| June 7, 2024 | Starting May 21, 2024 for Approximately 14 days | 2600 Nickson Way | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| May 24, 2024 | April 24, 2024 for approximately 4 weeks | 7440 Thornton Heights | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| April 10, 2024 | Starting March 26, 2024 for approximately 2-weeks | 2600 NIckson Way | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| April 8, 2024 | April 8, 2024 for approximately 1 days | 6228 Wadams Way | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| March 22, 2024 | Thursday February 29, 2024 for 3 weeks | 1720 Connie Road | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| March 1, 2024 | Starting February 8, 2024 for 3 weeks | 7440 Thornton Heights | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| February 27, 2024 | Approximately 1 day, 8am-4:30pm | 5204 Sooke Road | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| Feburary 12, 2024 | Starting January 12, 2024 for approximately 1 month | 2480 Carpenter Road | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| December 15, 2023 | Approximately 1 day, 8am-4:30pm | 5315 Basinview Heights | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| October 31, 2023 | Starting October 19, 2023 for approximately one-week | 2303 Hudson Terrace | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| July 11, 2023 | Blasting will continue for an additional 3-months, Mon-Fri, 8am-4:30pm (posted April 11, 2023) | 2600 Nickson Way | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| May 6, 2023 | Starting Thursday, April 6, 2023 for approx. 1-month | 2024 & 2026 Stone Hearth Lane | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| May 1, 2023 | Starting Monday, April 17, 2023 for approx. 2-weeks | 7215 Sea Cliff Road | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| April 27, 2023 | Starting Thursday, April 6, 2023 for approx. 3-weeks | 7160 East Sooke Road | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| March 9, 2023 | Starting Monday, February 23 for 2 weeks | 7050 Brailsford Place | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
| Starting Friday, February 3 for 3 weeks | 3058 Phillips Road | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
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| Starting January 23, 2023 for approx. 2-weeks | 5315 Basinview Heights | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
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| Starting December 13, 2022 for 6 weeks | 2600 Nickson Way | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
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| Between December 13 2022 and December 30 for 2-5 business days | 5080 Sooke Road | Big Bear Blasting Ltd. Mike Koff Owner/Operator Big Bear Blasting Ltd: 250-884-1353 |
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| Starting Tuesday, November 15, 2022 for 1 week, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. | 2182 Church Road | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
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| Starting October 25, 2022 for approximately 6 weeks | 2600 Nickson Way | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
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| Starting October 3 for approximately 1 year, Monday to Saturday between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., except statutory holidays. | Maple Park Terrace | Chris Conley Owner 250-365-9833 Littlerockdrilling2020@shaw.ca Blasting Notice (PDF) |
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| September 20, 2022 for one week | Area of Blythwood, Dixon and Brule | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
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| July 12, 2022 for approximately 1-week | 2287 Evelyn Lane | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
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| June 23, 2022 for about 3 weeks | 5202C Sooke Road | Contact: Dave Purnell Superintendent, HHS Drilling & Blasting Ltd., 250-727-1752 |
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| June 2-18, 2022 | 2200 Erinan Blvd. | ||
| May 31-June 14, 2022 | 1080 Silver Spray Way | ||
| May 4-18, 2022 | 7510 Ocean Park Place | ||
| April 4, 2022 for one month | 6310 Riverstone Drive | ||
| December 1, 2021 for two weeks | 7375 Boomstick Ave | ||
| November 3, 2021 for approximately 2-weeks | 5666 Woodlands Road | ||
| October 21, 2021 for approximately 3-weeks | 2755 Sooke River Road | ||
| September 27, 2021 for approximately 2-weeks | 5380 Basinview Heights | ||
| September 27, 2021 for approximately 2-weeks | 7330 Spartree Way | ||
| Month of June 2021, Monday through Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (No blasting on Sundays or Statutory Holidays) | 7049 Maple Park Terrace | Contact: Tony Miller Western Grater Contracting Ltd., 250-478-4225 |
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| March 25, 2021 for approximately 1-month | 6310 Riverstone Drive | ||
| March 22, 2021 for approximately 1-month | 7330 Spartree Way | ||
| March 22, 2021 for approximately 1-month | 2001 Stone Hearth Lane | ||
| February 16-23, 2021 | 6914 Burr Dr. | ||
| February 8-15, 2021 | 2770 Phillips Rd. | ||
| February-December 2021 | 2150 & 7004 Melrick Pl. | LINK | |
| January 27-February 11, 2021 | 2405 Dixon Rd | LINK |