Do I need to call BC One Call before digging fence post holes in Metro Vancouver?

Yes, absolutely — you must contact BC One Call (BC 1 Call) before digging fence post holes anywhere in Metro Vancouver. The service is free, it's required by WorkSafeBC regulations for contractors, and it protects you from hitting buried gas lines, electrical cables, water mains, telecommunications lines, and other underground utilities that could cause serious injury, property damage, or service outages.

BC One Call's phone number is 1-800-474-6886, and you can also submit a locate request online at bc1c.ca. The service is completely free for homeowners and contractors. When you submit a request, BC 1 Call notifies all member utility companies that have infrastructure in your area. Those companies then send locators to your property to mark the approximate location of their buried lines using colour-coded paint, flags, or stakes on the ground surface. You need to submit your request at least three business days before you plan to dig, so factor this into your project timeline.

The colour codes used for utility markings follow a standard system across BC. Red marks electric power lines. Yellow marks natural gas and oil lines. Orange marks telecommunications and cable TV lines. Blue marks water lines. Green marks sanitary sewer. Purple marks reclaimed water. White marks the proposed dig area (you or your contractor mark this). Understanding these colours helps you and your fence contractor plan post hole locations to avoid buried infrastructure.

Metro Vancouver properties have more buried utilities than most people realize. Natural gas service lines run from the street main to your gas metre, typically through the front or side yard. Electrical service may be underground in newer neighbourhoods (post-1980s) even if older areas use overhead power lines. Water and sewer laterals connect your home to the mains under the street. Telecommunications cables for internet and phone service are often buried just 12-18 inches below grade — well within the depth of a fence post hole. In some Metro Vancouver neighbourhoods, FortisBC district energy systems, Shaw and Telus fibre optic lines, and TransLink infrastructure add additional underground hazards.

The consequences of hitting a buried utility are severe. Striking a natural gas line can cause an explosion or gas leak requiring emergency evacuation. Cutting an electrical cable can cause electrocution — buried electrical lines carry enough voltage to kill. Even hitting a water main or telecom line, while not immediately life-threatening, creates expensive repairs. FortisBC and BC Hydro can bill you for repair costs if you damage their infrastructure without having obtained a locate first — these repairs can cost thousands of dollars. Your home insurance may not cover damage if you failed to call for a locate before digging.

BC 1 Call does have limitations you should understand. The service only marks utilities owned by member companies — it does not mark private lines on your property, such as irrigation systems, private electrical lines to outbuildings, septic tanks, or landscape lighting wiring. It also doesn't mark utilities owned by non-member entities, though most major utilities in Metro Vancouver are members. The locate markings show approximate locations (typically within 300mm or 1 foot of the actual line), so you should hand-dig carefully within 600mm (2 feet) of any marked line rather than using power augers or machinery.

Your fence contractor should handle this as standard practice. Professional fence contractors in Metro Vancouver call BC One Call as a routine part of every project. If a contractor tells you they don't bother with utility locates, or that they "know where the lines are" without getting an official locate, that's a serious red flag. WorkSafeBC regulations require employers to identify underground utilities before excavation, and a contractor who skips this step is cutting corners on safety.

Timing your locate request properly prevents delays. Submit your BC One Call request at least 3 business days before your planned dig date — 5 business days is better to account for any delays. Locate markings are valid for 30 days in BC, after which you need to request a new locate if work hasn't started. If your fence project spans several weeks (common for large perimeter fences), consider whether the initial markings will still be valid when work reaches all areas of the property.

Need help finding a fence contractor who follows proper safety procedures, including BC One Call utility locates? Vancouver Fence Builders can match you with professionals across Metro Vancouver who do the job right.

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