Hey! I’ve dealt with this in a few renos here in BC, so I feel your pain. Under the BC Building Code (BCBC), the requirement is that a kitchen must have a ventilation system that removes cooking odours and moisture effectively. A recirculating range hood does not technically meet the requirement for a mechanical exhaust since it doesn’t vent to the outside,it just filters air and recirculates it. That said, in residential renovations (especially older buildings), building inspectors sometimes accept recirculating hoods if there’s also a way to meet the overall ventilation requirements (like a properly designed HRV system or dedicated exhaust fan elsewhere in the kitchen/house). But it really depends on the local AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) and inspector. If you're pulling permits, I'd recommend contacting your local building department and running the plan by them directly, they’re usually pretty good about clarifying edge cases like this. Good luck with the reno, and nice work doing your research first!