Preface

1. Introduction
2. The Building Code and the Model National Construction Codes
3. Objective-Based Code Format
4. Structure of the Objective-Based Code
5. Supplementary Standards
6. Additional Information
7. Meaning of the Words “and” and “or” between Clauses, Subclauses, Subsubclauses, Paragraphs and Sub-paragraphs contained in Sentences
8. Amending Change Indication
9. Relationship of the Building Code to Standards Development and Conformity Assessment
10. Canadian Standards
11. Non-Canadian Standards
12. Conformity Assessment
13. Enforcement of the Building Code
14. Rulings and Interpretations
15. Harmonization / New Code Development Process
16. New Governance System for Harmonized and National Construction Code Development System
17. Advisory Council for Harmonized Construction Codes
18. Development of the National Construction Codes
19. How to Submit Code Change Requests
20. How to Submit Code Change Requests for Harmonized Code Provisions
21. Guidelines for Submitting Code Change Requests for Ontario-Only Provisions
22. Building Code History

Introduction

The Building Code is a regulation made under the Building Code Act, 1992. This edition of the Building Code Compendium amalgamates Ontario Regulation 203/24 which adopts the 2020 National Building Code together with the document “Ontario Amendments to the National Building Code of Canada 2020”. This Compendium also contains the Supplementary Standards referenced by the Building Code and additional explanatory material in Appendix Notes which are prepared for purposes of convenience only. The 2024 Building Code is effective January 1, 2025.

The Building Code sets out technical requirements for construction (including renovation) of buildings, change of use of existing buildings where the change would result in an increase in hazard and for maintenance and operation of on-site sewage systems. The technical requirements of the Building Code do not have application to existing buildings other than the maintenance and operation of on-site sewage systems and buildings that undergo a change of use where the change would result in an increase in hazard. The Building Code also contains administrative requirements for demolition of buildings.

The Building Code is essentially a set of minimum provisions respecting the safety of buildings with reference to public health, fire protection, accessibility, structural sufficiency, energy efficiency and environmental integrity. It is not intended to be a textbook on building design, advice on which should be sought from professional sources. Its primary purpose is the promotion of public safety through the application of appropriate uniform building standards. The Building Code is also written in an objective-based format, which is intended to promote innovation and flexibility in design and construction.

It is assumed that the requirements of the Building Code would be interpreted and enforced by reasonable people using good judgement based on experience and an understanding of the safety and technical issues involved. This fact is especially important in the application to an existing building when owners and tenants are faced with situations which may not be specifically covered in the Building Code, or in which alternative design solutions are proposed that could not have been envisaged by the code writers and committees responsible for the original requirements.

Many of these judgments are difficult to make because there is often insufficient factual knowledge to equate the relative safety of one set of conditions to another set. In the evaluation of any major project or unusual building, situations arise in which judgments must be made, because the Code can never cover all possible situations. The Building Code is constantly under review and is revised as experience is gained from its use and additional knowledge is gained through research.

The Building Code does not list acceptable proprietary building products. It establishes the criteria that building materials, products, systems, designs, and assemblies must meet. Some of these criteria are explicitly stated in the Building Code,while others are incorporated by reference to material or product standards published by standards development organizations. Only those technical portions of the referenced standards that are related to the objectives and functional statements of the Building Code apply only to the extent that the provisions relate to the construction of buildings.

The provisions of the Building Code for fire protection features installed in buildings are intended to provide a minimum acceptable level of public safety. It is intended that all fire protection features of a building, whether required or not, would be designed in conformance with good fire protection engineering practice and would meet the appropriate installation requirements in relevant standards. Good design is necessary to ensure that the level of public safety established by the Building Code requirements would not be reduced by a voluntary installation.

Similarly, for voluntary installations of other building elements such as grab bars or guards, there is a public expectation that these installations would meet their intended function and conform to the Building Code as unexpected failure would place public safety at risk.

The 2024 Building Code supersedes the previous edition of the 2012 Building Code. Many of the changes introduced into the 2024 Building Code increase the level of harmonization between Ontario’s Building Code and the National Construction Codes as well as with other provincial and territorial construction codes.

The Building Code and the Model National Construction Codes

In March 2022, the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC), which has now been replaced by the Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes supported by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), released 2020 editions of the National Building Code, National Plumbing Code, National Fire Code and National Energy Code for Buildings (i.e., NBC, NPC, NFC, NECB). These construction codes have no legal status unless adopted by a province or territory.

Ontario’s 2024 Building Code applies throughout Ontario and is based in large measure on the 2020 NBC, 2020 NPC, 2015 NECB and in some cases, the 2020 NFC as well as the 1995 National Farm Building Code. However, variations andexceptions between the National Construction Codes and Ontario’s Building Code exist. Ontario’s 2024 Building Code has variations in areas such as accessibility, energy efficiency and secondary suites. Ontario exceptions which also consolidate construction requirements from other provincial legislation into the Building Code, includes Ontario-only provisions such as those related to on-site sewage systems, public pools, public spas, food premises, private sewers, and private water supplies,rapid transit stations and renovation of existing buildings.

Objective-Based Code Format

The 2024 Building Code is Ontario’s third edition of the Building Code published in an objective-based format. The objective-based format augments specific technical requirements by identifying the underlying objectives and sub-objectives of those requirements (see table). Each technical requirement that is an acceptable solution in Division B is linked to one or more of the objectives, as well as functional statements, through the Attribution Tables in Supplementary Standard SA-1.Some objectives were developed jointly by the NRC and Canadian provincial/territorial jurisdictions.

The objective-based format is intended to assist Building Code users to understand the “why” behind Code requirements, as well as the “what”. This new format is more flexible and more responsive to innovation, as it should provide Code users with more information to evaluate construction equivalents and acceptable alternatives to the requirements of the Code.

The objective-based framework establishes a framework for evaluating “alternative solutions” against the performance achieved by the “acceptable solutions” set out in the Code.

Objectives

Every technical requirement that is an acceptable solution in Division B is linked to at least one objective as defined in Section 2.2. of Division A, which explains the objective which the requirement is intended to achieve.

They serve to define the boundaries of the subject areas the Building Code addresses. However, the Building Code does not address all the issues that might be considered to fall within those boundaries.

The objectives describe undesirable situations and their consequences, which the Building Code aims to prevent from occurring in buildings. The wording of most of the definitions of the objectives includes two key phrases: “limit the probability” and “unacceptable risk.” The phrase “limit the probability” is used to acknowledge that the Building Code cannot entirely prevent those undesirable situations from happening. The phrase “unacceptable risk” acknowledges that the Building Code cannot eliminate all risk: the “acceptable risk” is the risk remaining once compliance with the Building Code has been achieved.

The objectives are entirely qualitative and are not intended to be used on their own in the design, construction and approval processes.

The objectives attributed to the requirements or portions of requirements in Division B are listed for each Part in Tables contained in Supplementary Standard SA-1.

OBJECTIVES AND SUB-OBJECTIVES OF THE BUILDING CODE

Objective	Sub-Objective
Safety	Fire Safety
	Structural Safety
	Safety in Use
	Resistance to Unwanted Entry
Health	Indoor Conditions
	Sanitation
	Noise Protection
	Vibration and Deflection Limitation
	Hazardous Substances Containment
	Privacy*
	View to the Outdoors*
Accessibility	Barrier-Free Path of Travel
	Barrier-Free Facilities
Fire, Structural Water and Sewage Protection of Buildings	Fire Protection of the Building
	Structural Sufficiency of the Building
	Protection of Adjacent Buildings from Fire
	Protection of Adjacent Buildings from Structural Damage
	Water and Sewage Protection of Buildings and Facilities
Resource Conservation*	Water and Energy Conservation*
	Infrastructure Capacity*
Environmental Integrity*	Air Quality
	Water and soil Quality
Conservation of Buildings	N/A

*Ontario-specific objectives are highlighted in grey.

Functional Statements

Functional Statements describe what the design and construction of the building (or a component of the building) must do to achieve the objectives. At least one functional statement is linked to each technical requirement that is an acceptable solution in Division B as listed in Section 3.2. of Division A.

The functional statements are more detailed than the objectives. They describe conditions in the building that help satisfy the objectives. The functional statements and the objectives are interconnected. There may be several functional statements related to any one objective, and a given functional statement may describe a function of the building (or a component of the building) that serves to achieve more than one objective.

Like objectives, functional statements are entirely qualitative and are not intended to be used on their own in the design,construction, and approval processes.

The functional statements attributed to the requirements or portions of requirements in Division B are listed for each Partin Tables contained in Supplementary Standard SA-1.

Intent Statements

Intent statements explain the basic thinking behind each Building Code provision contained in Division B. Intent statements, each of which is unique to the provision with which it is associated, explain how requirements help to achieve their attributed objectives and functional statements. Like the objectives, the intent statements are expressed in terms of risk avoidance and expected performance. They offer insight into what the Building Code provisions are intended to achieve.

The intent statements serve explanatory purposes only and do not form an integral part of the Building Code provisions.As such, they are similar in function to the Appendix A explanatory notes. Intent statement for Ontario-only provisions are under development. Intent statements for Ontario’s Building Code provisions that are harmonized with the National Construction Code provisions may be obtained from separate electronic documents entitled “Supplement to the NBC2020: Intent Statements”, “Supplement to the NPC 2020: Intent Statements” and “Supplement to the NECB 2020: Intent Statements”, which are posted on the NRC’s website.

All this additional information—objectives, functional statements, and intent statements—is intended to facilitate the implementation of the Code in two ways:

• Clarity of intent: The objectives, functional statements and intent statements linked to a Code requirement clarify thereasoning behind that requirement and facilitate understanding of what must be done to satisfy that requirement.This added information may also help avoid disputes between practitioners and building officials over these types ofissues.

• Flexibility: The additional information allows for flexibility in Code compliance. A person seeking to propose anew method or material not described or covered in the Code would be able to use the added information to understand the expected level of performance that their alternative solution must achieve to satisfy the Code.

Structure of the Objective-Based Code

The Building Code is divided into three Divisions, which are further subdivided into Parts.

Division A Compliance, Objectives and Functional Statements

Part 1  Compliance and General

• Organization and application
• Compliance
• Interpretation
• Defined terms, symbols and abbreviations
• List of applicable law for the purposes of obtaining a permit under Sections 8 and 10 of the Act

Part 2  Objectives

Part 3  Functional Statements

Division B Acceptable Solutions

The term “acceptable solutions” refers to the technical requirements contained in Division B of the Building Code. It reflects the principle that building codes establish an acceptable level of risk or performance and underlines the fact that a code cannot describe all possible valid design and construction options. Acceptable solutions represent the minimum level of performance that will satisfy the Ontario’s Building Code objectives and that is acceptable to the principle authority.

Most of the requirements in Division B—the acceptable solutions—are linked to at least one objective and functional statement found in Division A. These linkages play an important role in allowing objective-based codes to accommodate innovation.

It is expected that the majority of Code users would primarily follow the acceptable solutions presented in Division B and that they would consult Division A only when seeking clarification on the application of Division B requirements to a particular situation, when considering an alternative solution, or when looking up the definition of selected terms in the context of the Building Code.

Part 1 General

Part 1 addresses climatic and seismic values for design of buildings, provides editions of referenced standards andlists information regarding standards organizations.

Part 2  Reserved

Part 2, Farm Buildings, has been added to introduce technical requirements for large farm buildings into the Building Code, including requirements related to fire protection and occupant safety, structural loads and procedures, and HVAC.

Part 3  Fire Protection, Occupant Safety and Accessibility

Part 3 contains the requirements with respect to health and fire safety, which depend upon the use to which a building is put and its type of occupancy.  The first Section contains material relating to occupancy classification and the more occupancy and fire safety within floor areas, exit requirements, requirements for service spaces and health requirements.  Section 3.8. contains requirements for those buildings required to be accessible to persons with physical or sensory disabilities.  Section 3.11. includes requirements for the design of public pools.

Part 4  Structural Design

Part 4 is made up of four Sections.  The first deals with the loads to be used in design calculations and the methods of design to be followed.  Section 4.2. regulates foundation design and construction.  Section 4.3. deals with design in wood, masonry, concrete, steel, aluminum and glass.  Section 4.4. deals with the design of air-supported structures, parking structures and guards over retaining walls.  Section 4.3. and parts of Section 4.4. contain performance requirements referring to the design methods outlined in detail in the relevant Canadian Standards.

Part 5  Environmental Separation

Part 5 includes requirements for the design of building elements to control groundwater, condensation and the penetration of wind and rain.

Part 6  Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning

Part 6 provides for the safe functioning of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning equipment installed in a building. The requirements deal mainly with installation standards for design.

Part 7  Plumbing

Part 7 governs the design, construction and installation of plumbing systems within properties.  It also addresses the required material to be certified or in compliance with a testing standard.

Part 8  Sewage Systems

Part 8 governs the design, construction, operation and maintenance of various class of sewage systems located within properties.  It addresses sewage systems up to 10,000 litres capacity serving one lot.  Systems larger than 10,000 litres/day and off-lot (communal) sewage systems are regulated under the Ontario Water Resources Act, with approvals issued by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.  MECP also regulates waste approvals for the hauling of sewage and land application sites under Part V of the Environmental Protection Act.

Part 9  Housing and Small Buildings

Part 9 provides detailed requirements for the construction of houses and small buildings up to 600 m2 per floor and 3 storeys in height, and applies to all occupancies except assembly which includes restaurants, care or detention and high hazard industrial.

Part 10  Change of Use

Part 10 governs the requirements with respect to a change in major occupancy without any proposed construction to the buildings.

Part 11  Renovation

Part 11 provides for flexibility in meeting life safety requirements when renovating existing buildings, with or without changes in major occupancies of the buildings or parts of the buildings. This flexibility allows, subject to certain conditions, the use of alternate methods of compliance to requirements contained in Parts 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, or 12, for all existing buildings or any major occupancies.

Part 12  Resource Conservation

Part 12 regulates the mandatory and enabling energy efficiency requirements, and insulation in residential and nonresidential buildings.

Division C Administrative Provisions

Part 1  General

Part 1 contains several administrative provisions relating to matters such as professional design requirements, permits,occupancy, inspections and building permit fees.

Part 2  Alternative Solutions, Disputes, Rulings and Interpretations

Part 2 contains administrative provisions related to the Building Code Commission, the Building Materials Evaluation Commission, Minister’s Rulings, Minister’s Interpretations, and documentation of alternative solutions.

Part 3  Qualifications

Part 3 contains qualification requirements for chief building officials, inspectors, registered code agencies, designers and on-site sewage installers.

Appendix A  Explanatory Information

Appendix A contains additional non-regulatory explanatory information to assist Code users in understanding the intent of the requirements contained in Divisions A, B and C .

Appendix B  Imperial Conversion

Appendix B contains Imperial conversion factors for metric values used in the Code.  It is not a regulatory section of the 2024 Building Code.

Supplementary Standards

Supplementary Standards with the SA prefix are referenced by Division A of the Building Code.  They include the Attribution Tables which relate objectives and functional statements of Division A to acceptable solutions of Division B.

Supplementary Standards with the SB prefix are referenced by Division B of the Building Code.  They include MMAH SB-1, “Climatic and Seismic Data”, MMAH SB-2, “Fire Performance Ratings” and others.

Supplementary Standards with the SC prefix are referenced by Division C of the Building Code.  They include  administrative provisions (e.g., MMAH SC-1, “Code of Conduct for Registered Code Agencies”).

Additional Information

Metric Conversion

For the most part, the official units of measurement in the Building Code are based on the metric system. Some of the metric values in the Building Code have been converted and rounded from imperial values. A conversion table of imperial equivalents for the most common units used in building design and construction is located in Appendix B.

For plumbing provisions in Part 7 of Division B, pipe sizes are expressed in nominal pipe size dimensions in inches by which pipe is known in the trade and the exact dimension may vary with different pipe materials.

Numbering System

A decimal numbering system has been used to identify particular requirements. The first number indicates the Part of the Code, the second, the Section in the Part, the third, the Subsection and the fourth, the Article in the Subsection. An Article may be further broken down into Sentences (indicated by numbers in brackets), and the Sentence further divided into Clauses and Subclauses. These are illustrated as follows:

3	Part
3.6.	Section
3.6.2.	Subsection
3.6.2.3.	Article
3.6.2.3.(1)	Sentence
3.6.2.3.(1)(f)	Clause
3.6.2.3.(1)(f)(i)	Subclause
3.6.2.3.(1)(f)(i)(A)	Sub-subclause
3.6.2.3.(1)1.	Paragraph
3.6.2.3.(1)1.i.	Sub-paragraph

Meaning of the Words “and” and “or” between Clauses, Subclauses, Subsubclauses, Paragraphs and Sub-paragraphs contained in Sentences

Multiple Clauses, Subclauses, Sub-subclauses, Paragraphs and Sub-paragraphs are connected by the word “and” or“or” at the end of the second last Clause, Subclause, Sub-subclause, Paragraph or Sub-paragraph in the series.Although this connecting word appears only once, it is meant to apply to all the preceding Clauses, Subclauses, Sub-subclauses, Paragraphs and Sub-paragraphs within that series.

For example, in a series of five Clauses—(a) to (e)—in a Sentence, the appearance of the word “and” at the end of Clause (d) means that all Clauses in the Sentence are connected to each other with the word “and”. Similarly, in a series of five Clauses—(a) to (e)—in a Sentence, the appearance of the word “or” at the end of Clause (d) means that all Clauses in the Sentence are connected to each other with the word “or”.

In all cases, it is important to note that a Clause, Subclause, Sub-subclause, Paragraph and Sub-paragraph (if any)must always be read in conjunction with its introductory text appearing at the beginning of the Sentence. Moreover,the connecting words “and” and “or” must be read in the context of the Sentence.

In particular, the use of the word “and” as a connecting word does not necessarily mean that all Clauses, Subclauses,Sub-subclauses, Paragraphs and Sub-paragraphs are applicable for compliance with the Sentence.

Amending Change Indication

As a courtesy to Building Code users, efforts are made to identify editorial and technical changes relative to amendments issued to this regulation. Where an editorial revision or a regulatory revision or addition has been made, changes to the Compendium are identified on the amendment pages by a unique symbol and a corresponding effective date. In most cases no change indication is provided for deleted content.

Relationship of the Building Code to Standards Development and Conformity Assessment

The development of many provisions in the National Building Code and the Building Code and the assessment of conformity to those provisions are supported by several of the member organizations of Canada’s National Standards System (NSS).

The NSS is a network of accredited organizations concerned with standards development, certification, testing and inspection that is established under the auspices of the Standards Council of Canada Act. Activities of the NSS are coordinated by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), which accredits standards development organizations,certification bodies, testing and calibration laboratories, and inspection bodies, among others.

The SCC is a non-profit federal Crown corporation responsible for the coordination of voluntary standardization in Canada. It also coordinates Canadian participation in voluntary international standardization activities.

Canadian Standards

Many of the standards referenced in the National Building Code and Building Code are published by standards development organizations accredited in Canada. As part of the accreditation requirements, these organizations adhere to the principle of consensus, which generally means substantial majority agreement of a committee comprising a balance of producer, user and general interest members, and the consideration of all negative comments. The standards development organizations also have formal procedures for the balloting and second-level review of standards prepared under their oversight.

The following organizations are accredited as standards development organizations in Canada:

• Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI)
• ASTM International
• Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ)
• Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB)
• CSA Group
• International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO)
• ULC Standards
• Underwriters’ Laboratories Inc. (UL)

Tables 1.3.1.2. of Division B and Table 1.1.2. in Supplementary Standard SB-2 list the standards referenced in the Building Code. Standards proposed to be referenced in the National Building Code are reviewed to ensure that their content is compatible with the Code. Thereafter, referenced standards are reviewed as needed during eachCode cycle.

Standards development organizations are asked to provide information on any changes in the status of their standards referenced in the Building Code—withdrawals, amendments, new editions, etc. This information is passed on to the Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes, its committees, and interested stakeholders,all of whom are given the opportunity to identify any problems associated with the changes. These bodies do not necessarily review in detail the revised standards; rather, the approach relies on the consensus process involved in the maintenance of the standards and on the extensive knowledge and experience of committee members,provincial or territorial staff, NRC staff, and consulted stakeholders to identify changes in the standards that might create problems in the Code. Referenced Standards unique to the Building Code generally undergo a similar review through public consultation and MMAH Technical Advisory Committee review.

Non-Canadian Standards

A number of subject areas for which the standards development organizations accredited in Canada have not developed standards are covered in the Building Code. In these cases, the Building Code often references standards developed by organizations in other countries, such as the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). These standards are developed using processes that may differ from those used by the standards development organizations accredited in Canada;nevertheless, the standards have been reviewed by the relevant NRC standing committees or MMAH Technical Advisory Committees and found to be acceptable.

Conformity Assessment

Testing

The SCC accredits testing and calibration laboratories that are capable of reliably testing products to specified standards. The test results produced by these organizations can be used in the certification, evaluation and qualification of products for compliance with Code provisions. The SCC’s website (www.scc.ca) lists accredited testing and calibration laboratories, along with their scope of accreditation.

Certification

Certification is the confirmation by an independent organization that a product, process, service or system meets a requirement. Certification may entail physical examination, testing as specified in appropriate standards, an initial plant inspection, and/or follow-up unannounced plant inspections. This procedure leads to the issuing of a formal assurance or declaration, by means of a certification mark or certificate, that the product, process, service or system is in full conformity with specified provisions.

In some cases, a product for which no standard exists can be certified using procedures and criteria developed by an accredited certification body and specifically designed to measure the performance of that product.

Certification bodies publish lists of certified products and companies. The SCC’s website (www.scc.ca) lists accredited certification bodies, along with their scope of accreditation. Several organizations, including the Canadian Construction Materials Centre (CCMC) at the NRC, offer product certification services.

Evaluation

An evaluation is a written opinion by an independent professional organization that a product will perform its intended function. An evaluation is often done to determine the ability of an innovative product, for which no standards exist, to satisfy the intent of a Code requirement. Follow-up plant inspections are not normally part of the evaluation process.

Qualification

Qualification evaluates the ability of a product to perform its intended function by verifying that it meets the requirements of a standard. Qualification normally includes some follow-up plant inspection. Some organizations publish lists of qualified products that meet the specified requirements. Some organizations qualify product manufacturing and/or testing facilities for compliance with the Code and relevant standards.

Enforcement of the Building Code

Enforcement of the Building Code Act and the Building Code is a local responsibility, primarily in the hands of municipalities, boards of health or conservation authorities or a registered code agency (i.e., principal authority). These responsibilities include reviewing drawings, issuing building permits, performing inspections, and issuing orders.

Rulings and Interpretations

Building Code Commission

The Building Code Commission (BCC) is an adjudicative agency whose legislative authority is set out in the Building Code Act. Its membership is comprised of technical experts experienced in the different areas of construction, engineering, design,building materials and the Building Code and Act.

The BCC has a mandate to resolve disputes between proponents of construction projects and local enforcement officials. The Building Code Act sets out three types of disputes that can be heard by the BCC, those related to:

1. the sufficiency of compliance with the technical requirements of the Building Code;
2. compliance with the prescribed time frames for permit processing, and
3. compliance with the prescribed time frames site inspections

In addition to these disputes a judge may refer question(s) respecting the interpretation of the technical requirements of the Building Code or the sufficiency of compliance with the technical requirements of the Building Code to the BCC for a hearing and report to the judge.

The BCC makes its decisions independently and impartially of the government.

Building Materials Evaluation Commission

The Building Materials Evaluation Commission (BMEC) is an arm’s length regulatory agency whose legislative authority isset out in the Building Code Act. Its membership is comprised of technical experts experienced in the different areas of construction, engineering, design, building materials and the Building Code and Act.

The BMEC has a mandate to evaluate and authorize, subject to conditions, any innovative construction material, system orbuilding design for use in construction in Ontario. Additionally, the BMEC also has the power to conduct research on, andexamine, construction materials, systems and building designs or cause such research to be conducted and examinations to be undertaken. The BMEC has the authority to make recommendations to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing respecting changes to the Act or the Building Code.

The BMEC makes its decisions independently and impartially of the government and bases its decisions on the minimum health and safety requirements set out in the Building Code for the use of new and innovative construction materials, systems and building designs in Ontario.

Rulings by the Minister

The Building Code Act also provides the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing with the authority to make rulings on the use of innovative materials, systems or building designs that were evaluated by a materials evaluation designated in the Building Code.

Currently, the only evaluation body designated in the Building Code is the Canadian Construction Materials Centre.

CCMC approvals are valid for most Canadian provinces and territories; however, in Ontario, an approved CCMC product may not be used without a Minister’s Ruling. A manufacturer may apply to obtain a Minister’s Ruling at the Ministry for the use of a product in Ontario.

Harmonization / New Code Development Process

In 2019, under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), the Regulatory Reconciliation and Cooperation Table initiated developed of a Construction Codes Reconciliation Agreement (Agreement) between Canada and the Provinces and Territories, in alignment with broader CFTA goals to address barriers to trade or investment within Canada. The province and territories have committed to reducing variations between the model National Construction Codes and provincial and territorial construction codes, transforming the National Codes Development System, and making effective the updated National Construction Codes in a timely manner.

These changes are expected to reduce barriers related to the manufacturing of products, design of buildings, mobility of labour and education and training of trades people, design professionals and building officials related to variations between Construction Codes across Canada.

New Governance System for Harmonized and National Construction Code Development System

Canadian Table for Harmonized Construction Codes

Governance

The Canadian Table for Harmonized Construction Codes (Table) comprises deputy minister-level representatives from the federal, provincial, and territorial governments. The goal of the Table is to build national consensus and provide strategic policy direction and oversight for development of the model National Construction Codes. The Table is co-chaired by a representative from the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) on behalf of the federal government and by a representative from the provinces and territories.

Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes

Code System Management and Development

The Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes (Board) comprises federal, provincial and territorial representatives. The Board is responsible for developing, approving and maintaining the National Model Codes based on the strategic priorities set by the Table. The Board is co-chaired by a representative from the NRC on behalf of the federal government and by a representative from the provinces and territories.

Development Groups

Development Groups include committees working under the Board. These are Technical Committees and each committee has task groups and may also have working groups. The Standing Coordination Committee is tasked to coordinate the work among the committees and task groups. The Board may also establish a Policy Committee and task the Committee with the review of new policy matters.

Code Development and Content

The development groups provide support to the Board in forming proposed code changes. They focus on specific code development areas and tasks simultaneously throughout the code development cycle. The development groups are made up of technical subject matter experts. Technical Committees prepare the final Proposed Code Change forms.

Advisory Council for Harmonized Construction Codes

The Advisory Council for Harmonized Construction Codes is made up of industry, the regulatory community, emergency responders and other organizations with an interest in the regulation of building construction and operation through codes. It provides the Board with policy input and advice.

Development of the National Construction Codes

The National Code Development System, with support from Codes Canada, an administrative unit within the Construction Research Centre of the National Research Council Canada, operates the code development process.

The process begins with the Canadian Table for Harmonized Construction Codes Policy (Table) setting strategic priority areas that focus code development activities for the upcoming code development cycle.

The Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes (Board) then operationalizes the strategic direction by developing a work plan that responds to the strategic priority areas and integrates code change requests from the code community, and considers required code maintenance. Anyone can submit a code change request for consideration.

The work plan is executed through the development of changes to the National Construction Codes. Changes are developed by subject matter experts with input from stakeholders through a consensus-based process.

Broad input is also obtained through public review of proposed changes. The national public consultation allows anyone with an interest in the Construction Codes to provide comments for consideration before approval of changes by the Board.Efforts are being made to better coordinate provincial and territorial public reviews with the national public review.

New editions of the National Codes and related guides, incorporating changes developed and approved over the code cycle,are published by the National Research Council Canada approximately every five years. Published National Construction Codes can be made effective by authorities having jurisdiction over construction.

How to Submit Code Change Requests

Code user are encouraged to participate in the National Construction Codes development process.

As Ontario works towards further increasing the harmonization of the Construction Codes, the National Construction Codes development process, including making submissions and engaging in the National process is an important opportunity for the code user to have input on the future of the National Construction Codes and provide comment on the proposed changes that Ontario intend to adopt in its Building Code.

How to Submit Code Change Requests for Harmonized Code Provisions

Requests for changes to the National Construction Codes are welcome from anyone at any time and can be made by completing a code change request form.

The National Construction Codes improve with each edition thanks to contributors such as building officials, designers,suppliers, contractors, researchers, instructors, and other stakeholders including the public. You do not need to be a subject matter expert to submit a request. Code change requests can be submitted by anyone with an interest in the Codes.

Requests should clearly articulate the situation that you feel should be addressed. For more information, guidelines, the code change request form and to submit a code change request, please visit the website (cbhcc-cchcc.ca) or (https://cbhcc-cchcc.ca/en/code-change-requests/#s4).

Guidelines for Submitting Code Change Requests for Ontario-Only Provisions

Submit a Code Change Request to Ontario-Only Provisions found in Ontario Regulation 203/24 “Ontario Amendments to the National Building Code of Canada 2020”

Ontario’s Building Code improves with each edition thanks to the contributions of building officials, designers, builders,contractors, product manufacturers, researchers, building owners and the public. Typical changes accommodate new materials, systems and building design, clarify requirements, or update references to standards.

The Building Code is a regulation made under the Building Code Act, 1992. Given the joint Federal/Provincial/Territorial Code development process, changes developed by the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC) for the National Building Code (NBC) and the National Plumbing Code (NPC) are considered for inclusion in Ontario’s Building Code. Suggestions for changes to provisions unique to Ontario’s Building Code made by members of the public may also be considered. Potential changes to the Building Code are generally developed following a public consultation process and review by a Building Code technical committee. However, new code change requests and requests related to subject matters already addressed by the National Codes, are intended to be processed by the new joint National Code Development System.

Suggestions to improve Ontario’s Building Code with respect to subject matters unique to Ontario, may be submitted to the Building and Development Branch of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. The following points should be considered in developing a request for a Building Code change:

Clarity

Code change requests should clearly identify the specific change being proposed, current Code provisions that would be affected by the change, and the rationale for proposing the change. Proposed language for new Code provisions is helpful.

Supporting Documentation

Code change requests should be accompanied by sufficient documentation to support the need for the change.Documentation may include research, testing results, statistics, case studies, etc.

Cost/Benefit Analysis

Code change requests should include information on implementation costs and the benefits likely to be achieved.

Assessment of Conformance

Code change requests may not be viable if there are no practical means of assessing conformance with the proposed new requirement. Requests should consider whether there are existing tools or models that can be used to assess the conformance of designs or construction with the requirements of the proposed Code change.

Requests also need to consider whether the implementation of Code changes would have implications for enforcement bodies.

Timing

Although requests for changes to the Building Code can be made at any time, it is likely that most changes will be considered for inclusion in the next edition the Building Code. However, “interim” Code changes to the Building Code are possible.

Objectives

The objectives of the Building Code’s requirements (“acceptable solutions”) are set out in Division A. Code change requests should link proposed changes to at least one of the Code’s stated objectives. The addition of a provision that cannot be linked to one of the currently stated objectives would require the addition of new objectives.

Focus on Generic/Widespread Issues

The Building Code’s standards are of general application and it is therefore impractical for the Building Code to deal with specific products or with situations that arise only rarely.

However, innovative products that are not yet covered by standards or mentioned in the Codes are not necessarily excluded from use. Current administrative procedures to enable the use of innovative products are listed in Division C,and include Alternative Solutions, the Building Code Commission, the Building Materials Evaluation Commission and Minister’s Rulings.

Code Change Request Form

Electronic copies of the Building Code change request form may be obtained from the Building Code website at: www.ontario.ca/buildingcode. The code change request form should accompany requested changes. Where the form does not provide sufficient space for the information you wish to include, you are encouraged to attach additional pages as necessary.

Building Code Development Process

Ontario’s Building Code is based on the National Building Code but includes some variations from the NBC that are determined by Ontario-specific priorities such as additional provisions to deal with specific building types and elements such as public pools and public spas, onsite sewage systems, rapid transit stations and Part 11 to address renovations to existing buildings.

New editions of Ontario’s Building Code generally follow the cycle of the NBC and may include technical and editorial changes throughout the Code. Proposed changes are typically provided on the government’s Regulatory Registry and or Environmental Registry websites for public consultation by either posting the proposals or referring to the National website.

The Building Code may be amended at any time and each edition of the Code may be amended several times during the life of that edition. However, the Code is not amended each time an individual Code Change Request is submitted to the Ministry. All Code Change Requests are logged on receipt and may be considered for the next edition or in some instances,they may be considered as part of a general amendment package once sufficient proposals are received. All public consultations and material contained within are subject to government direction.

Present only one change request per form. Duplicate the form as necessary. You may attach additional pages or use any other format to submit your request as long as all of the information indicated below is included. If you are unable to submit your request via the website, please send the completed form to address below. Personal information submitted on this form is collected under the authority of the Building Code Act, 1992 and will be used for the purpose of Building Code development. Please direct any questions about the collection of personal information to the following address:

(The following text in purple is not included in the 2024 Building Code Compendium, and is included for legal/ explanatory purposes only.) Note from CanadianBuildingCodes.ca – please click HERE to download a PDF of the “2024 Code Change Request For Ontario-Only Provisions” form, outlined below:

2024 CODE CHANGE REQUEST FOR ONTARIO-ONLY PROVISIONS Manager, Code Development and Advisory Services Building and Development Branch, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing 777 Bay Street, 12th Floor Toronto, Ontario M7A 2J3 Email: Codeinfo@ontatio.ca
I am submitting this on behalf of:
Organization Name
Your Title
Your Name
Address
City
Province
Postal Code
Telephone
Email
Please state your role in relation to this request (check all that apply)	☐ Builder / Contractor ☐ Building Official / Principle Authority ☐ Building Owner / Manager ☐ Designer / Architect / Engineer ☐ Supplier / Manufacturer ☐ Other
State your role if “Other” is checked

2024 CODE CHANGE REQUEST FOR ONTARIO-ONLY PROVISIONS
Have you submitted this change to the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes as a proposed amendment to the model National Building or Plumbing Codes?	☐ YES ☐ NO
Do you consent to share all information on this form with Building Code Review Committees and the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes for the purposes of code development?
I agree:	☐ YES ☐ NO
Will your proposal increase/decrease harmonization with the National Construction Codes?	☐ Increase ☐ Decrease ☐ I do not know Same proposal submitted for NBCC
Is your code change request:	☐ Changing an existing Building Code provision, appendix note,supplementary standard ☐ Adding a new Building Code provision, appendix note,supplementary standard
Enter Code Reference of the Requested Change: Division, Part,Section, Subsection, Article,Sentence (Example: Div. B, 3.17.1.1.(2)) REQUESTED CHANGE/ADDITION: What is your proposed wording for the change/addition? (Write existing code provision and show changes. Strikethrough for deletion and underlining for new text. Example: “…indoor all pools”) ISSUE/GENERAL BACKGROUND: Why should the existing provision be revised? If requesting an addition to the Building Code, why is it needed?
JUSTIFICATION/EXPLANATION: How does the requested change address the issue?

2024 CODE CHANGE REQUEST FOR ONTARIO-ONLY PROVISIONS
OBJECTIVE(S): Which of the Building Code’s objectives does the requested change address? (See Part 2 of Division A of the Building Code for the list of objectives.)
COST(S): Will the change bring any added construction costs, including labour, and any other costs? (Please provide detailed information to support your proposal)
BENEFIT(S): Will it provide benefits and/or savings? (Please provide detailed information to support your proposal)
ENFORCEMENT: Are there any enforcement issues regarding this change/addition? Will its enforcement require an increase in resources?
ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS: Who will the change impact? How will the requested change/addition impact code users? (Example: building officials, home owners, designers, builders/contractors, engineers, architects, manufacturers, building/business owners, general public.)
OTHER COMMENTS: For example, identify other Building Code requirements and other Regulations/Standards that might be impacted by the requested change/addition. ATTACH SUPPORTING MATERIAL: (Example: research, test results, statistics, case studies that supports the issues, justification, costs, benefits and other information referred above.)
Submission Date

Building Code History

The first Ontario Building Code was issued in 1975. The 1975 and subsequent editions of the Building Code have been issued as follows:

Building Code Edition	Date Filed	Effective Date
O. Reg. 925/75 (1975 Building Code)	November 24, 1975	December 31, 1975
O. Reg. 583/83 (1983 Building Code)	September 15, 1983	November 30, 1983
O. Reg. 419/86 (1986 Building Code)	July 18, 1986	October 20, 1986
O. Reg. 413/90 (1990 Building Code)	July 30, 1990	October 1, 1990
O. Reg. 403/97 (1997 Building Code)	November 3, 1997	April 6, 1998
O. Reg. 350/06 (2006 Building Code)	June 28, 2006	December 31, 2006
O. Reg. 332/12 (2012 Building Code)	November 2, 2012	January 1, 2014
O. Reg. 163/24 (2024 Building Code)	April 10, 2024	January 1, 2025
O. Reg. 203/24 (2024 Building Code)(Supersedes O. Reg. 163/24)	May 29, 2024	January 1, 2025