Buried oil tanks in Vancouver: what buyers should know
Figures from City of Vancouver open data, October 21, 2026.
Until the 1950s and 1960s, many Vancouver houses were heated with oil kept in a tank buried in the yard. 35,608 houses in the city (42% of houses) were built before 1960.
A tank left in the ground can rust and leak. Removal and any soil clean-up are the owner’s cost, and some insurers and lenders ask about it.
Why our pages cannot settle it
Tank removals are permitted by Vancouver Fire Rescue Services, not by a building permit, so they are not in the data we check. That is why houses from before 1960 get a check: “ask about a buried oil tank”.
How to check
- Ask the seller for a tank removal or decommissioning certificate.
- Have the lot scanned for a tank before you remove subjects.
- If a tank is found: get a quote for removal and a soil test.
General information, not legal or professional advice.