Understanding Civil CAD Drawings: A Key Requirement for BC Hydro Approvals

WHAT IS A CIVIL CAD DRAWING?

A Civil CAD Drawing, also referred to as a Base Plan or Key Plan, is a scaled drawing that provides an overview of a development site, including both existing and proposed utility locations. It serves as a foundational document to ensure that all infrastructure elements are properly coordinated within the project.

WHEN AM I REQUIRED TO PROVIDE BC HYDRO WITH A CIVIL CAD DRAWING?

BC Hydro now requires that all new projects provide a civil CAD drawing. They rely on the civil engineer to properly identify the location of all existing and proposed underground infrastructure. This includes multi-family residential projects on single-family lots.

WHAT DOES THE CIVIL CAD DRAWING NEED TO SHOW?

The minimum requirements of information shown on the Civil CAD Drawing include:

• Property Lines
• Existing City Utilities such as Storm Sewers, Sanitary Sewers, Watermains, and Streetlights
• Existing BC Hydro Equipment
• Existing Telus, Rogers, and FortisBC ducts, service boxes, vaults, and pipes
• Existing oil pipelines, high pressure gas lines, BC Hydro feeder ducts & ductbanks, Metro Vancouver trunk mains, and city utilities such as Qnet (Coquitlam), Delta Cable, or District Energy (Surrey)
• On-Site (within the property lines) Structures and Roadways
• Off-Site (outside the property lines) Structures and Roadways

WHY DOES BC HYDRO REQUIRE IT?

Development projects involve multiple utilities and infrastructure components. BC Hydro requires a Civil CAD Drawing to visually assess the placement of all utilities and structures near the development. This helps BC Hydro:

• Coordinate effectively with other utilities during the design phase
• Minimize risks of delays and unexpected costs
• Ensure proper integration of electrical infrastructure into the overall site plan

Civil CAD Drawings are often used alongside Electrical Drawings to provide BC Hydro with a comprehensive understanding of the project’s site requirements. For multi-family buildings and larger developments, BC Hydro will also require an ESI form and electrical site plan from the project’s electrical engineer.

A well-prepared Civil CAD Drawing ensures a smoother approval process and helps avoid potential conflicts during construction. H.Y. Engineering has a rigorous checklist to ensure all existing utilities are shown as per the available record drawings and we ensure we spend the necessary time liaison with the municipalities and each utility agency to collect existing records.

Contact us today to learn how we can support your civil design needs and ensure your BC Hydro submissions are complete and compliant.