Vancouver fire department to charge $200 per false alarm after third strike

Is your building plagued by false fire alarms?

Now owners or occupiers of Vancouver properties with three or more false alarms per calendar year will have to pony up $200 per alarm.

In a news release today (August 12), Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services says the new fee will "provide incentive to owners of problem properties to have systems in proper working order".

The release states:

False fire alarms tie up valuable resources for significant periods of time, reduce readiness and increase the hazards associated with emergency responses through the densely populated City. While occasional false alarms are inevitable, premises which have three or more per year typically have unresolved alarm issues that are being ignored.

According to the release, the fire department is "proud to announce this new tool", which is part of 2015 Fire By-law (No. 11312).