When a business signs a commercial lease in Burnaby, signage becomes one of the first and most stressful tasks.
Landlords have strict criteria, the city has detailed bylaws, and every plaza or development comes with its own design restrictions.
This guide breaks down what Burnaby businesses need to understand before starting any commercial signage project.
Burnaby’s Commercial Sign Bylaws, Explained Simply
Burnaby’s Sign Bylaw sets rules for:
- -Maximum signage size
- -Illumination type
- -Placement zones
- -Materials
- -Safety and structural considerations
- -Zoning-specific allowances (C-districts, industrial, mixed-use)
Most tenants only find out about these rules after their first revision request.
Our role:
We translate these guidelines into clear design decisions so your signage gets approved faster.
Your Lease Agreement Determines What You Can Actually Build
Many tenants expect full creative freedom—until they read the lease.
Commercial leases in Burnaby usually include:
- –Allowed sign types (fascia, blade, window, illuminated)
- -Maximum height/width
- -Lighting restrictions
- -Color rules
- -Approved materials
- -Specific placement on the façade
Ignoring these leads to:
❌ redesign costs
❌ delays
❌ landlord rejections
Our role:
We review your lease limitations and design within those boundaries so nothing breaks the rules.
The Landlord Design Criteria Package (Where Most Tenants Get Stuck)
Every commercial plaza, shopping center, or mixed-use site in Burnaby has a sign criteria document created by the landlord or developer.
These often include:
- -Exact letter height
- -Max square footage
- -Illumination temperature
- -Font / style restrictions
- -Material uniformity
- -Placement diagrams
- -Color limitations
- -Multi-tenant alignment rules
Tenants get stuck because the criteria are written for designers, not business owners.
Our role:
We interpret the landlord’s requirements and create signage designs that meet all aesthetic and technical standards—without compromising visibility or brand identity.
What We Actually Do For Burnaby Commercial Signage
We are specialists in:
✔ Signage Design Based on Landlord Requirements
We design with accuracy so your landlord receives a compliant, ready-to-approve visual.
✔ Consulting on What’s Allowed (and What’s Not)
We help you avoid options that will be rejected due to:
- -size
- -placement
- -illumination
- -façade limitations
- -plaza-specific restrictions
✔ Mockups & Visualizations
We place your sign on the building elevation to show how it fits into the overall site.
✔ Coordinating With Fabricators (If Needed)
We collaborate with your chosen sign fabricator to ensure the artwork aligns with real-world specs.
✔ Advising on Materials, Readability, and Longevity
We help tenants and landlords choose the right materials for:
- -visibility
- -night-time legibility
- -durability in high-traffic or harsh-weather areas
Who This Service Is For
For Tenants:
- -First-time commercial tenants
- -Businesses renovating or rebranding
- -Those struggling with landlord rules
- -Tenants needing compliant artwork before fabrication
- -Anyone overwhelmed by Burnaby’s bylaw requirements
For Landlords & Property Managers:
- -Multi-tenant plazas
- -Retail complexes
- -Office buildings
- -Industrial sites wanting consistency
- -Developers creating or updating signage criteria packages
We help you maintain a cohesive, professional, and compliant signage ecosystem across all tenants
Common Mistakes We Help Prevent
❌ Designing before the landlord’s criteria are reviewed
❌ Creating artwork that exceeds allowed dimensions
❌ Choosing materials not permitted in the building
❌ Proposing colors or illumination outside the rules
❌ Overly complex designs that compromise fabrication
❌ Not understanding Burnaby’s permissible frontage area
Our goal is simple:
Design it right the first time.
Why Consultation Is the Most Valuable Step
Good signage is not just a design task—it’s a compliance and strategy task.
A 30–60 minute consultation can prevent:
- -multiple redesign rounds
- -weeks of delays
- -wasted fabrication costs
- -miscommunication with landlords or fabricators
Most projects go smoother when the design team is brought in early.
Book a Burnaby Signage Consultation
If you’re opening a new business, updating your storefront, or managing multiple tenants in Burnaby, we can help you:
- -review your landlord guidelines
- -understand what’s allowed
- -design compliant, attractive signage
- -streamline the approval process
- -avoid costly revisions
???? Based in Burnaby at Cariboo Business Park