Fire insurance plans are an important information source for any type of urban research. They are detailed large-scale maps of cities, smaller municipalities, and industrial sites. The object of these maps is to show the character of any insured building. These plans were compiled by the fire insurance underwriters to assist their agents in assessing and controlling the risks of fire. Various symbols and colours are used to indicate the following characteristics: the shape and size of a building; the type of construction used; the existence of fire protection facilities; and the use of the building (e.g., a restaurant, a laundry, etc.).

In 1897, the Charles Edward Goad company began producing plans for British Columbia municipalities, along with various underwriters associations in the province, such as the British Columbia Underwriters Association. In 1917, Goad sold out to the Canadian and provincial underwriters associations. The associations amalgamated to form the Canadian Underwriters' Association in 1960 and subsequent production of fire insurance plans was centralised under the Plan Division of the Association. In 1974, the Association became the Insurers' Advisory Organisation. The following year, in 1975, production of fire insurance plans ceased.

Plans were revised periodically as buildings were burned, torn down, rebuilt, or a new area was developed. The revisions were printed and distributed to the agents to paste in. Sometimes revisions were made in pencil or crayon by the agent, or by the cartographers in the Plan Department. Plans with the same date may have different revisions. There are no plans for undeveloped areas; sometimes there are no existing plans for areas which were developed.

Source: UBC Library's BC Fire Insurance Maps guide

This table lists known extant fire insurance plans for Northern and Central British Columbia communities. They are held at the following institutions:

British Library (BL)
Library and Archives Canada (LAC)
New Westminster Public Library (NWPL)
Royal BC Museum (RBCM)
University of British Columbia (UBC)
University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC)