District asks North Vancouver hillside residents to watch for landslide signs as heavy rain nears
The District of North Vancouver listed the warning signs of slope failure for residents near steep slopes, as Environment Canada forecast up to 80 mm of rain for higher ground on Friday.
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The District of North Vancouver has asked residents who live on or near steep slopes to watch for the warning signs of slope failure, The North Shore Local reported on November 4, 2026. The District says fall and winter rain saturates the soil across the North Shore.
The signs on the District's list are fast water or muddy flow where none was seen before, trees cracking or falling when there is no strong wind, cracks in a house that keep widening, walls or floors that tilt, ground cracks opening under a house, and any part of a house, deck or retaining wall falling away.
If any of these are happening now on your property or a neighbour's, the District says to leave at once and call 911. Small changes that build up over a long time make a landslide less likely, it says, and in that case it advises hiring a qualified professional to look at the cause and any repair work.
The warning comes before a wet weekend. On November 5 The North Shore Local reported an Environment Canada forecast of heavy rain from after midnight Thursday through Friday, November 6. Higher ground in North and West Vancouver and near southern Howe Sound could get up to 80 mm, and lower ground closer to 50 mm. Environment Canada called it the first of a series of wet and windy storms, warned of water pooling on roads and possible property damage, and advised residents to clear leaves from storm drains and watch for washouts near creeks and culverts.
The District says its approach to slope hazards traces back to the 2005 Berkley landslide. After that slide it removed fill, reshaped slopes and improved drainage with property owners, set up a Natural Hazards Task Force in 2007 and adopted risk tolerance criteria in 2009. In 2013 it added a Slope Hazard Development Permit Area to its Official Community Plan, which controls building on or near steep land. Residents can check whether their home is in that area through the District's GeoWeb Property Viewer.
The District's orientation guide for the new council lists natural hazard and emergency planning for floods, wildfire and extreme weather among the projects staff will bring to council by 2030. Councillor Jordan Back and Councillor Catherine Pope each made campaign promises on the cost of extreme weather.
Questions this story answers
What signs of a landslide did the District of North Vancouver list?
The North Shore Local reported the District's list: fast water or muddy flow where none was seen before, trees cracking or falling with no strong wind, cracks in a house that keep widening, walls or floors tilting, ground cracks opening under a house, and any part of a house, deck or retaining wall falling away.
What should a resident do if they see those signs?
The District says that if any of those conditions are happening now on your property or a neighbour's, you should leave at once and call 911. If you notice small changes that develop over a long time, the District says a landslide is less likely, and advises hiring a qualified professional to look at the cause.
Why is the District warning residents now?
The District says fall and winter rain saturates the soil across the North Shore. On November 5 The North Shore Local reported an Environment Canada forecast of heavy rain starting after midnight Thursday, with up to 80 mm on higher ground in North and West Vancouver.
How much rain is forecast for the North Shore?
Environment Canada forecast up to 80 mm for higher-elevation communities in North and West Vancouver and near southern Howe Sound on Friday, November 6, and closer to 50 mm for lower ground and northeastern Metro Vancouver, The North Shore Local reported on November 5, 2026.
What else did Environment Canada advise?
The North Shore Local reported that Environment Canada warned of water pooling on roads and in low-lying areas, sudden drops in visibility and possible property damage, and advised residents to clear fallen leaves from storm drains and watch for washouts near rivers, creeks and culverts.
Has the District of North Vancouver had landslides before?
The North Shore Local reported that the District's approach to slope hazards traces back to the 2005 Berkley landslide. After it, the District says, it removed fill, reshaped slopes and improved drainage with property owners, and had geotechnical engineers assess neighbourhoods along escarpments.
What is the District's Slope Hazard Development Permit Area?
The District says it added a Slope Hazard Development Permit Area to its Official Community Plan in 2013, to reduce landslide risk to people and property by managing development and construction on or near steep land. Residents can check whether their home is in it through the District's GeoWeb Property Viewer.
Is this storm the only one expected?
No. The North Shore Local reported that Environment Canada called Friday's system the first in a series of wet and windy storms expected to affect the region, and that the agency rated the expected impact as moderate and its forecast confidence as high.
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