Let's Talk Business Licences

The City of Nelson's Business Licence Regulatory Bylaw No. 3347, 2016 has not undergone a thorough review for almost a decade. With changing business landscapes and increasing financial and regulatory restraints and impacts on small and independent businesses, we are reviewing our Bylaw to ensure it best meets the current needs of Nelson's thriving business community.

Help us update this Bylaw by sharing your experiences as a business owner or operator in Nelson.

Learn more about business licences

Business licences are necessary for municipalities to ensure that businesses are operating legally and complying with all health, safety, and zoning regulations.

Nelson issues business licences in order to verify that your business is legitimate, has gone through any necessary health and safety inspections (such as Interior Health and Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch inspections), and is in a building that is safe to operate out of.

While the current Bylaw was adopted in 2016, many of the sections within the Bylaw have not been updated in at least 20 years, such as the Fees and Charges. The Bylaw needs to be updated to reflect the current needs of business owners and operators in today's business climate, and in order to best support local and independent businesses.

The City is focusing on four key areas to improve the Bylaw:

  1. Consolidate and simplify the fee structure
  2. Consolidate, simplify, and eliminate repetition of regulations
  3. Ensure that regulations, necessary documentations, and inspection processes are clearly outlined in the Bylaw
  4. Digitize the Business Licence application form

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