Where an outdoor heat pump unit may stand, by municipality (2026)
For all 13 Greater Victoria municipalities: whether a ground-mounted outdoor unit is permitted in the front, exterior side, side and rear yard, the minimum distance from a lot line where one is published, when screening becomes mandatory, and how far equipment may project into a required yard. Read from each municipality's own zoning or land use bylaw. Six publish no siting rule at all — that is recorded as 'not published', which is a finding rather than a missing value, and it means the noise bylaw is the constraint that decides the spot.
Verified 2026-10-06 · recheck by 2027-04-06 · compiled from 13 sources: City of Victoria, District of Saanich, District of Oak Bay, Township of Esquimalt, Town of View Royal, City of Colwood, City of Langford, Town of Sidney, District of Central Saanich, District of North Saanich, District of Sooke, District of Metchosin, District of Highlands
| municipality | front yard | exterior side yard | side yard | rear yard | min lot line m | min applies to | screening within m | screening always | projection into yard m | published rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Victoria | not-published | not-published | not-published | not-published | — | — | — | no | — | no heat-pump-specific siting rule found |
| District of Saanich | not-published | not-published | not-published | not-published | — | — | — | no | — | no heat-pump-specific siting rule found |
| District of Oak Bay | allowed-with-screening | allowed | allowed | allowed | 1.5 | any property line | — | no | — | Per the District's 2025 guide: allowed in front, side and rear yards including within setbacks if at least 1.5 m from the property line; front-yard units need screening. |
| Township of Esquimalt | not-published | not-published | not-published | not-published | — | — | — | no | — | The former '6 metres from any property line' heat pump rule was removed by Bylaw 2861 (2015); no zoning siting rule now. |
| Town of View Royal | prohibited | prohibited | prohibited | allowed | 3 | any side or flanking lot line | — | no | 1.5 | Zoning Bylaw No. 900 s.4.6.4: residential heat pumps are not permitted within the front, side or flanking yard and must be at least 3 m from any side or flanking lot line; may project up to 1.5 m into the required rear yard setback. |
| City of Colwood | not-published | not-published | not-published | not-published | — | — | — | no | — | no heat-pump-specific siting rule found |
| City of Langford | must-meet-setbacks | must-meet-setbacks | must-meet-setbacks | must-meet-setbacks | — | — | — | no | — | Zoning Bylaw 300 defines a heat pump as part of a 'structure'; no express projection allowance into setbacks. |
| Town of Sidney | prohibited | prohibited | allowed-with-screening | allowed-with-screening | 1 | any lot line | — | yes | — | Zoning Bylaw No. 2275 s.5.1.12: not in a front yard or exterior side yard; at least 1 m from any lot line; screened with a year-round opaque visual barrier. |
| District of Central Saanich | prohibited | not-published | allowed | allowed | — | — | 3 | no | — | Zoning Bylaw No. 2270 (2026) s.4.6: not in a front yard; acoustic screening when sited 3 m or less from a side or rear property line. |
| District of North Saanich | not-published | not-published | not-published | not-published | — | — | — | no | — | no heat-pump-specific siting rule found |
| District of Sooke | must-meet-setbacks | must-meet-setbacks | must-meet-setbacks | must-meet-setbacks | — | — | — | no | 0.6 | Zoning Bylaw No. 600: heating or ventilating equipment may project up to 0.6 m into a yard; no heat pump clause. |
| District of Metchosin | not-published | not-published | not-published | not-published | — | — | — | no | — | no heat-pump-specific siting rule found |
| District of Highlands | not-published | not-published | not-published | not-published | — | — | — | no | — | no heat-pump-specific siting rule found |
Pages that use this table
- Heat pump permits in Greater Victoria: do you need one, and who pulls it?Do I need a permit and who pulls it?
- Heat pump noise bylaws in Greater Victoria: how loud is allowed where you live?How loud is it, what does my municipality allow, and how does a neighbour enforce it?
- Heat pump rebate deadlines for Greater Victoria: what ends whenWhen do these end and what do I need to do by when?
- Switching from oil to a heat pump in Greater VictoriaI heat with oil; what do I get and what about the tank?
- Heat pumps for homes without ducts in Greater Victoria: the three optionsI have no ducts; which of the three options fits my house?
- Heat pumps in Saanich: what applies to your house specificallyWhat applies to me in Saanich specifically?
- Heat pumps in Langford and the Westshore: what applies to your houseWhat applies to me in Langford or the Westshore?
- Heat pumps in Sidney, Central Saanich and North Saanich: what applies to your houseWhat applies to me in Sidney or on the Saanich Peninsula?
- Heat pumps in Sooke: what applies to your houseWhat applies to me in Sooke?
- Heat pump financing in Victoria, BC: what is open and what has closedHow can I pay for a heat pump over time?
Every cell here is read from the document named in its row, on the verification date above. Greater Victoria Heat Pumps publishes no figure it has not read. Rules change: confirm anything you are about to spend money on. The rest of the tables are on the open data page.