Permits exist for a reason: Safety. Permits give you legal permission to start construction of a building project in accordance with approved drawings and specifications. When you apply for permits, this is to make sure everything is done right within City guidelines and safety standards.
Permits help ensure that the people doing the work aren't cutting corners when it comes to safety and compliance with local building codes. Signs constructed of substandard material may not be engineered properly to withstand windload, or secured properly to the building. Imagine innocent people being injured with a poor end product. The liabilities, let alone the weight of knowing it could have been prevented, would be irreversible. Permits protect us all.
City of Edmonton (and most municipalities) state that “You must have a permit prior to the installation of signs, or it is an offence which is subject to fines and penalties.”
What if I get caught without a permit?
Consequences: Safety, Resale Value, Insurance, City Penalties, Wasted Time
There are fines/penalties involved, plus the cost for removal of the sign, new proper permitting application and design changes to fit within the permit safety regulations, and on top of that the actual rebuild and reinstallation of said signage. Not to mention the legal/liability and moral issues if something goes wrong due to lack of permits and an injury occurs. In the event of a fire, structural collapse, or other problem, if it is discovered the mishap is the result of work that was done without a permit, your insurance damage and liability policy may decline to cover the damage.
Be careful of sign companies that tell you that a permit is not required. It is not the contractor but YOU and YOUR company that takes the on the risk proceeding without permit. It is simply not worth the risk to your business and its assets.
Where do I get a permit?
Hi Signs can help! Our sign professionals know exactly what is needed and how to expedite the process. We take the guess work out of proceeding with your sign order, installation, and manufacturing so you can focus on running your business.
For more information from the City of Edmonton visit https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/bylaws/permanent-signs.aspx
