The REMI Network (Real Estate Management Industry Network) reported on Alek Antoniuk's views on recent OBC changes in a Thursday, January 9, 2020 article titled: "Code changes fine-tune Ontario condo soundscape". (CodeNews has disabled the link to the article due to security issues with the REMI site.)
DATE |
PROVINCE OR JURISDICTION |
NEWS |
| 24-JAN-2020 | ALBERTA 2019 Alberta Building Code |  On
January 24, 2020, Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Kaycee Madu
announced that Alberta will allow wood-building construction for
up to 12 storeys. Alberta will become the first province in
Canada to allow the practice province-wide. The announcement was part
of Alberta's Red Tape Reduction Awareness Week.Todayville.com reported that Minister Madhu stated: “Not
only will this decision support the forestry industry and land
developers, it will provide affordability to homebuyers, bolster
employment, and give Alberta a competitive advantage. We made this
change knowing that mass timber products are safe and that these
buildings will meet all necessary standards.” Many thanks to Paul Chang, Provincial Building Administrator, Alberta Municipal Affairs for notifying CodeNews.ca. |
| 20-JAN-2020 | ALBERTA Electrical STANDATA Bulletins, Variances, Interpretations | On
January 20, 2020, Alberta Municipal Affairs advised that the following
Electrical STANDATA Bulletins, Variances, and Interpretations were
issued:
|
| 16-JAN-2020 | ONTARIO 2012 Building Code | The
Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing issued Ontario
CodeNews e-bulletin #294, dated January 16, 2020, to announce that, in
order to help provide an overview of the OBC amendments contained in O.
Reg. 88/19, a summary of these changes has been posted on the Ministry website. The summary is very factual and does not provide any background regarding the rationale for the changes. |
| 15-JAN-2020 | National Research Council of Canada CCBFC National Building Code National Fire Code National Plumbing Code | The Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC) invites code users and stakeholders to participate in the Winter 2020 Public Review of proposed changes to the following Codes Canada publications:
The CCBFC has published a Summary of Significant Changes and a Listing of All Changes. CodeNews.ca thanks our loyal reader, Brad Smale, Chief Building Official, Township of Norwich, for alerting us to this news. |
| 15-JAN-2020 | NOVA SCOTIA Fire Safety Act Fire Safety Regulations | Lorelei
Atkinson, Fire Code Coordinator, Nova Scotia Office of the Fire
Marshal, advised that the Nova Scotia Governor in Council made N.S. Reg. 3/2020 on January 14, 2020 to amend the Fire Safety Regulations to include Revisions and Errata to the 2015 National Fire Code of Canada, along with a few minor housekeeping items. Some of the changes include::
|
| 10-JAN-2020 | ALBERTA STANDATA 2019 Alberta Building Code Building Code Bulletins | On January 10, 2020, Alberta Municipal Affairs advised that the following STANDATA Building Code Interpretations were issued: |
| 04-JAN-2020 | ALBERTA STANDATA 2019 Alberta Building Code Building Code Interpretations | On January 3, 2020, Alberta Municipal Affairs advised that the following STANDATA Building Code Interpretations were issued:
|
| 03-JAN-2020 | CANADA Canadian Free Trade Agreement Reconciliation Agreement for Canadian Registration Numbers for Pressure Equipment | La Régie du bâtiment du Québec has announced
that decree number 1196-2019, published in the Gazette officielle
du Québec on December 26, 2019, has ratified the Reconciliation
Agreement for Canadian Registration Numbers for Pressure Equipment,
made under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, between the
following provinces and territories:
Internal trade within Canada is a real mess. It is well known that Quebec is the least open to interprovincial trade. The Montreal Economic Institute and the Canadian Constitution Foundation have reported that interprovincial trade barriers cost between $3,500 and $9,200 per Canadian household every year. |
| 31-DEC-2019 | ONTARIO 2012 Building Code | The
Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing issued Ontario
CodeNews e-bulletin #292, dated December 31, 2019, to announce the
following new Building Code related fees for registrations for building
practitioners regulated under the Building Code Act, 1992, effective on
January 1, 2020:
|
| 27-DEC-2019 | QUÉBEC Code de sécurité du Québec Chapitre VIII, Bâtiment Articles 346 -369 | La Régie du bâtiment du Québec has announced
that decree number 1213-2019, published in the Gazette officielle du
Québec on December 26, 2019, postpond the dealine for the
installation of sprinklers in certain private seniors' residences
until December 2, 2022. La Régie du bâtiment du Québec has stated that this deferral aims to better support Quebec building owners in their efforts to provide safe living environments for their residents. It also aims to ensure the orderly completion of the work required to comply with regulations, while promoting the maintenance of elderly people in their community. |
| 15-DEC-2019 | ALBERTA STANDATA 2019 Alberta Building Code Building Code Variances | Paul
Chang, Provincial Building Administrator, Alberta Municipal Affairs has
advised that the following STANDATA Building Code Variances were issued
under the National Building Code–2019 Alberta edition on December 12,
2019:
|
| 19-NOV-2019 | ALBERTA Electrical STANDATA | On November 19, 2019, Alberta Municipal Affairs announced that the
following Electrical STANDATA had been issued: |
| 13-NOV-2019 | ONTARIO 2012 Building Code | The
Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing issued Ontario
CodeNews e-bulletin #289, dated November 13, 2019, to announce that the
Building and Development Branch is hosting six webinars on the
amendments to the Ontario Building Code, arising from O. Reg. 88/19. You were invited to register for the following webinars:
The registration page prompts you to join a wait list, so that, if space becomes available, you will be notified. You will have one day to accept the released ticket. That's right: there are only about 50 spaces available for more than 15,000 Ontario Building Code users .... someone at the Building and Development Branch has a weird sense of humour. |
| 10-NOV-2019 | ONTARIO Building Code Act | There are only 15 days left to comment on the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing's public consultation
on the proposal to create an administrative authority. The consultation ends on November 25, 2019. CodeNews Consulting Corp., Consulting Architect, has prepared a Commentary on the Ministry's Proposal, that will be sent to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing. CodeNews Consulting Corp., Consulting Architect, has noted that: Notwithstanding the recommendations of the Elliot Lake Inquiry and recent changes to Section 1(6) of the Building Code Act, a municipal building official has no legal protection from the whims of senior management and council in a municipality. Municipal chief building officials are unable to perform their duties independently, as mandated by the Building Code Act, and are regularly subject to disciplinary action and dismissal for performing their statutory duties. Therefore, it is proposed that: The Building Code Act should be amended to require the Chief
Building Official for Ontario to approve any appointment or termination of a
chief building official by a municipality, in order for it to be valid. |
| 03-NOV-2019 | BRITISH COLUMBIA 2018 Building Code Revision 2 | Andrew
Pape-Salmon, P.Eng., MRM, FCAE, Executive Director, Building and
Safety Standards Branch, B.C. Office of Housing and Construction
Standards, has announed that Revision 2 of the BC Building Code has
been approved. These changes will be effective December 12, 2019, and
apply to building permits applied for on or after this date. These amendments to the BC Building Code 2018 include:
The Building and Safety Standards Branch will publish technical bulletins about the code changes on its website in the coming weeks. In the meantime, a description of the amendments and the rationale for the changes is available on the public review web page. |
| 24-OCT-2019 | National Research Council of Canada CCBFC National Building Code National Fire Code National Plumbing Code | The Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes has provided the link
to the Codes Canada webpage detailing the Fall 2019 public review of
the proposed changes to the 2015 editions of the National Building
Code, the National Fire Code, and the National Plumbing Code, which is being held from October 22 to December 23, 2019. A final national public review will take place in January 2020. The final review will include changes being proposed to the National Energy Code for Buildings, as well as changes related to accessibility, large farm buildings and updates to referenced standards. If approved by the CCBFC , the technical changes will be published in the 2020 editions of Codes Canada publications. |
| 23-OCT-2019 | ALBERTA 2019 Alberta Building Code | Paul
Chang, Provincial Building Administrator, Alberta Municipal Affairs has
advised that the Alberta Safety Codes Council has published comparison tables that show new items and deleted items in the 2019 edition of the Alberta Building Code, in comparison to the 2014 Alberta Building Code. The transition period for using the 2014 edition of the Alberta Building Code ends on December 1, 2019. |
| 22-OCT-2019 | ALBERTA STANDATA 2018 Canadian Electrical Code | On
October 22, 2019, Alberta Municipal Affairs announced that the
following 2018 Canadian Electrical Code variance had been issued: |
| 04-OCT-2019 | ALBERTA STANDATA Sewage System Variances | A sewage system variance transition working group, comprised of partners from multiple stakeholders, has developed a guidance document, titled: "Notice : restructuring of Safety Code Council variance Policy 9.8" to assist in the transition of administering private sewage variance activity from Alberta Municipal Affairs to the local authority. |
| 24-SEP-2019 | ONTARIO Building Code Act | The government of Ontario has announced a public consultation
on its proposal to create an administrative authority to transform the
delivery of a suite of new and enhanced services to support the
building sector. The consultation closes at 11:59 p.m. on
November 25, 2019. The administrative authority would deliver new and enhanced services, such as:
Download the "Discussion Paper: Transforming and Modernizing the Delivery of Ontario’s Building Code Services". (pdf 210.32 KB) Regional information sessions are scheduled for:
|
| 24-SEP-2019 | ONTARIO 2012 Building Code | The government of Ontario has published a guide to help people who want to add a second unit, like a basement apartment, to their home. Download the "Adding a Second Unit in an Existing House" guide. (pdf 15MB). |
| 17-SEP-2019 | BRITISH COLUMBIA 2018 Building Code Part 9 Energy Compliance Reports | Zachary
May, Acting Executive Director, Building and Safety Standards Branch,
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, has announced that an
updated version of the BC Energy Compliance Reports (Performance Paths
for Part 9 Buildings), for use with BC Building Code 2018, is now
available. The updated version provides guidance for how to model
and test attached ground-oriented residential buildings that are not
considered multi-unit residential buildings under the EnerGuide Rating
System. The updated version includes a calculator and instruction
manual; the Pre-Construction and As-Built reports are automatically
generated by the calculator. All versions of the reports are available on the BC Energy Step Code website. More information about the BC Energy Compliance Reports for Part 9 Buildings is available in Technical Bulletin B18-03, published by the Building and Safety Standards Branch. |
| 10-SEP-2019 | ONTARIO 2012 Building Code | The
Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing issued Ontario
CodeNews e-bulletin #285, dated September 10, 2019, to announce that Amendment
package #8 (May 2, 2019 update) to The 2012 Building Code Compendium is
now available for free download from the Publication Ontario website. This amendment package contains 1,220 replacement pages to the 2012 Building Code Compendium Edition and reflects recent amendments to the Building Code (O. Reg. 332/12), Supplementary Standards, and Appendix A. The 2012 Building Code Compendium is amended by:
|
| 10-SEP-2019 | ALBERTA Fire Code STANDATA Fireworks | On September 10, 2019, Alberta Municipal Affairs announced that the
following Fire Code STANDATA had been issued:
|
| 09-SEP-2019 | ALBERTA Gas Safety STANDATA Gas Safety Information Bulletin Gas Safety Variances | On September 9, 2019, Alberta Municipal Affairs announced that the
following Gas Safety Information Bulletin had been issued: On September 9, 2019, Alberta Municipal Affairs announced that the following Gas Safety Variances had been issued: |
| 08-SEP-2019 | National Research Council of Canada CCBFC National Building Code National Fire Code National Plumbing Code National Energy Code for Buildings |  The
Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes has announced the
final public review of the proposed changes to the 2015 editions
of the National Building Code, the National Fire Code, the National
Plumbing Code and the National Energy Code for Buildings will be held
on the Codes Canada webpage from October 22 to December 23, 2019. More information, including explanations about the proposed changes and instructions on how to submit comments, will be posted online, once the public review period begins. |
| 30-AUG-2019 | QUÉBEC Construction Code Draft Energy Efficiency Regulations for buildings | La Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) announced that the public consultation on the building energy efficiency amendment to the Construction Code has been extended for 45 days to October 7, 2019. |
| 28-AUG-2019 | QUÉBEC Construction Code CSA B139 | La Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) announced on August 28, 2019
that the 2019 edition of the CSA B139 "Installation Code for Oil
Burning Equipment" has been adopted, pursuant to Chapter VIII of the
Construction Code and will come into effect on August 31, 2019. The CSA Group has published a list of 18 major changes in this (10th) edition. Some of the changes affecting building design include:
|
| 19-AUG-2019 | NOVA SCOTIA Building Code | Joe
Rogers, P. Eng., Building Code Coordinator for the Province of Nova
Scotia, announced on August 19, 2019, the publication of proposed amendments to the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations (the Building Code) made pursuant to the Building Code Act,
chapter 46, of the Acts of 1989. It is anticipated that the amendments will be prescribed by the
Nova Scotia Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to come into
effect throughout the Province of Nova Scotia on or about January 1,
2020. The proposed amendments include:
Joe Rogers, P. Eng. You can also email your comments to OFM@novascotia.ca Building Code Coordinator Office of the Fire Marshal P.O. Box 231 Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2M4 |
| 16-AUG-2019 | National Research Council of Canada CCBFC 2015 National Building Code of Canada | The
Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Code (CCBTC) and the
Provincial and Territorial Policy Advisory Committee on Codes (PTPACC)
have approved, in principle, a report titled "Alterations to Existing Buildings", dated August, 2019. The CCBFC has requested public comments on the report, which describes the overarching principles and a general concept of the triggers and decision points of potential future code requirements that would apply to the alterations to existing buildings. The report was prepared by the Joint CCBFC/PTPACC Task Group on Alterations to Existing Buildings. The members of the Joint Task Group are:
It is an open secret that the absence of national code requirements for existing buildings has resulted in a patchwork approach to dealing with alterations across Canada. This causes confusion in the industry, among regulators and building owners/operators, and may even result in unsafe practices in all provinces, except Ontario. Ontario, of course, has had its Part 11, dealing with Renovations, for decades, as well as a Part 10, dealing with Change of Use. |
| 14-AUG-2019 | BRITISH COLUMBIA 2018 Building Code | The Province of B.C. is now offering the BC Building, Plumbing and Fire Codes online at no charge. The free online access is available at www.bcpublications.ca, under the "Public Library" collection. Printed copies of BC code material will also be made available at a reduced cost. This aligns with the Federal Government of Canada's recently announced changes to the National Model Codes. Eligible citizens and businesses who purchased a one or five year online subscription of the 2018 Codes will receive a full refund based on the digital product they purchased. Any citizens and businesses who purchased printed copies of the 2018 Codes will receive a partial refund based on the product purchased. |
| 08-AUG-2019 | BRITISH COLUMBIA 2018 Building Code | Zachary
May, Acting Executive Director, Building and Safety Standards Branch,
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, has announced that the
public review of proposed mid-cycle changes to the BC Code, that had
been posted on June 28, 2019, has been extended to August 23, 2019 and
the following additional proposed changes have been posted on the B.C. government's website:
|
| 24-JUL-2019 | NOVA SCOTIA Building Code | Joe
Rogers, P. Eng., Building Code Coordinator for the Province of Nova
Scotia, announced on July 24, 2019, that the Adaptable Housing
requirements in the Nova Scotia Building Code will take effect
and be applicable to permits applied for after September 1,
2019. Nova Scotia has produced a short presentation highlighting the Adaptable Housing changes (PDF). The presentation contains clickable links to the actual regulation as printed in the Royal Gazette. The User's Version of the regulation is currently being updated and will be on the province's website website shortly after September 1, 2019 |
| 17-JUL-2019 | QUÉBEC Construction Code Draft Energy Efficiency Regulations for buildings | La Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) announced that a building energy efficiency amendment to the Construction Code was published in the Gazette officielle du Québec for public comment on July 10, 2019.. For more information, visit the projects page of the RBQ website. The RBQ claims that the draft amendment aims to increase the energy efficiency requirements of new commercial, institutional and industrial buildings as well as large residential buildings. These requirements include, but are not limited to, the building envelope, lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, domestic water heating systems, and electric transformers and motors. This draft regulation responds to the commitments outlined in the Government of Québec's Action Plan 2013-2020 on climate change. The following documents, available in the French language, have been posted on the RBQ website:
CodeNews.ca thanks our loyal reader, Gary Chu, for alerting us to this news. |
| 02-JUL-2019 | ONTARIO 2007 Ontario Fire Code | In its Bulletin #02/19, dated June 28,2019, the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (OFMEM) announced that the Fire Code's requirements for hazardous extraction operations and out-of-service firefighters’ elevators came into force on July 1, 2019 for the following: Hazardous Extraction Operations Owners and operators of buildings with hazardous extraction operations are reminded that requirements related to aisles, exits, door hardware, fire safety plans, and ventilation come into force on July 1, 2019. Provisions related to prohibited locations for hazardous extraction operations have been in effect since March 2019 when O. Reg. 33/19 was filed. Out-of-service Firefighters’ Elevators Owners and operators of buildings with firefighters’ elevators are reminded that requirements related to notifying supervisory staff, the fire department, and building occupants when a firefighters’ elevator is not operational come into force on July 1, 2019. |
| 28-JUN-2019 | BRITISH COLUMBIA 2018 Building Code | Jarrett
Hutchinson, Acting Executive Director, Building and Safety
Standards Branch, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, has invited code
users, industry, and partners to participate in a public review to
provide feedback on proposed mid-cycle changes to the BC Code. The Building and Safety Standards Branch is conducting a public review of the following proposed changes to the BC Code:
For more information about the proposed changes or to complete the survey, please visit the B.C. government's website. Possible amendments to the Energy Step Code targets for houses and small residential buildings are still in development and are not part of this public review. |
| 19-JUN-2019 | NOVA SCOTIA Building Code | Joe
Rogers, P. Eng., Building Code Coordinator for the Province of Nova
Scotia, announced on June 19, 2019, that, as a result of the
redesign of the province's website, the links to the following
documents may be accessed, as follows: This
guide provides an overview of the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations
and outlines the rules you need to follow if you’re constructing a new
building or making changes to an existing building. You
need to submit Schedule “A” Letters of Undertaking with your
application for a building permit if you use the services of engineers,
architects or interior design professionals. The building owner and
consultants are also required to complete additional schedules included
in the Schedule “A” Letters of Undertaking. |
| 17-JUN-2019 | ONTARIO 2007 Ontario Fire Code Fire Sprinkler Retrofit in Vulnerable Occupancies | The
Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing issued Ontario
CodeNews e-bulletin #282, dated June 14, 2019, to reiterate that
fire sprinkler retrofit requirements under Ontario’s Fire Code for
existing care occupancies and retirement homes came into effect on
January 1, 2019. Work to install sprinkler systems to comply with the Fire Code will generally require a building permit issued under the Building Code Act. However, the Building Code generally would not mandate additional renovations or upgrades. For more information, check out these links:
|
| 13-MAY-2019 | ALBERTA National Building Code - 2019 Alberta Edition National Fire Code - 2019 Alberta Edition | Paul
Chang, Provincial Building Administrator, Alberta Municipal Affairs has
advised that the electronic versions of the 2019 Alberta Editions of
the codes are now available free of charge at the NRC Virtual Store. This includes access to the downloadable, offline access PDF file and the single user, online access subscription. The printed edition is available for purchase at a reduced price. |
| 02-MAY-2019 | ONTARIO 2012 Building Code | Ontario Regulation 87-19 has been issued to amend the Ontario Building Code. This 1 page regulation was: • Made on May 1, 2019; It will be printed in The Ontario Gazette on May 18, 2019.• Filed on May 2, 2019; and • Published on e-Laws: May 2, 2019 It will come into force on July 1, 2019. The regulation deals with farm buildings intended to contain hazardous extraction operations involving cannabis. Ontario Regulation 88-19 has been issued to amend the Ontario Building Code. This 139 page regulation was: • Made on May 1, 2019; It will be printed in The Ontario Gazette on May 18, 2019.• Filed on May 2, 2019; and • Published on e-Laws: May 2, 2019 It will come into force on various dates: • May 2, 2019 • January 1, 2010 • January 1, 2022 The Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing issued Ontario CodeNews e-bulletin #278, dated May 2, 2019, to announce that Ontario Regulation 88/19 aligns Ontario’s Building Code with the 2015 National Construction Codes and is based on proposals the ministry consulted on in 2016 and 2017. The majority of the amendments will come into effect on January 1, 2020 and include: • fire safety measures including fire prevention and early detection and warning systems; • structural sufficiency of buildings to withstand external forces and improve resilience; • water conservation improvements to plumbing fixtures; • public health and safety requirements; and • accessibility requirements for barrier-free access. Amendments to requirements related to stair dimensions, guards and handrails will come into effect January 1, 2022. In addition, other amendments to the Building Code came into effect on filing, in the following areas:
These Technical Bulletins are hosted on the CodeNews website because the Ministry has not published them on its website. |
| 02-MAY-2019 | ONTARIO 2012 Building Code |  On Thursday, May 2, 2019, the Honourable Steve Clark, Minister of
Municipal Affairs and Housing for Ontario revealed the "More Homes, More Choice: Ontario's Housing Supply Action Plan".Minister Clark highlighted that the Housing Supply Action Plan will require a provincewide effort that includes municipalities, nonprofits and private industry and will also be a comprehensive all-of-government initiative that will include legislative amendments to 13 government Acts. Minister Clark was joined by Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility. The Plan includes the following changes to the Ontario Building Code: • Remove the requirement that all new homes include the infrastructure for an electric vehicle charging station – whether the purchaser owns an electric vehicle or not – reducing unnecessary costs; and • Harmonize the Ontario Building Code with the National Codes to open new markets for manufacturers and bring building costs down. |
| 30-APR-2019 | BRITISH COLUMBIA 2018 Building Code Technical Bulletins | Zachary
May, Director, Building Codes & Standards, Building and Safety
Standards Branch, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, has
announced that new resources are now available online to assist those
using the BC Energy Step Code. The BC Energy Step Code is an optional performance-based compliance path in the BC Building Code. The British Columbia Building and Safety Standards Branch has developed the following 3 new Technical Bulletins:
|
| 15-APR-2019 | ALBERTA 2019 Alberta Edition of the National Building Code 2017 Edition of the National Energy Code for Buildings 2019 Alberta Edition of the National Fire Code | James Orr, Director, Safety Codes & Standards, Alberta Municipal Affairs has advised that the 2019 editions of
the Alberta Building and Fire Codes (and while available, the 2017 NECB goes
with these code editions) are delayed as they will be made freely
available (online and in downloadable form) as is the current 2014 edition. The codes are anticipated to be available before the end of April. Alberta Municipal Affairs will provide further information and any associated guidance as soon as it is available. CodeNews.ca thanks our loyal reader, Kevin Kiejko, for pointing out the delay. |
| 11-APR-2019 | ONTARIO Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Building Code Conservation Advisory Council | The 2019 Ontario Budget,
announced on April 11, 2019, reported that the Ontario government's
Agency Review Task Force, which is comprised of five government Members
of Provincial parliament, had commenced (in November, 2018) its
comprehensive review of all Provincial agencies to support the
government’s commitment to restoring accountability and trust. To date, this task force has reviewed over 60 agencies (almost one-third of more than 190 Provincial agencies). The Building Code Conservation Advisory Council is the first of 10 Provincial agencies that the task force has recommended be dissolved, as they have become unnecessary, or because there are more cost-effective ways of achieving their goals: It recommends that the ministry could seek expert advice on conservation matters of the Building Code from working groups rather than through a Provincial agency. |
| 10-APR-2019 |  ONTARIO Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000 Operating Engineers Regulation | The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) is holding a public consultation until May 4, 2019 on the creation of alternate rules for the Operating Engineers Regulation. The proposed changes are intended to implement recommendations made by a panel of industry stakeholders to adopt a risk-based framework for the Operating Engineers Regulation. Under this approach, businesses would have the option to either comply with the alternate rules or continue adhering to requirements in the current regulation. The consultaion documents consist of:
|
| 06-APR-2019 |
ONTARIO Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000 Liquid Fuels Handling Code | The
Technical Standards & Safety Authority’s Fuels Safety Program, in
consultation with industry stakeholders, has updated the Liquid Fuels Handling Code Adoption Document. The amendments, which will be effective as of May 21, 2019, include:
|
| 03-APR-2019 | National Research Council of Canada CCBFC Construction Codes of Canada | Frank
Lohmann, Manager, Codes Development System at the National Research
Council of canada, reported, on April 3, 2019, that the National
Codes of Canada are now available for free download. They are available by visiting the NRC Virtual Store. The 2005, 2010, and the 2015 editions of the codes are available in .pdf format. In order to assist our loyal CodeNews.ca readers, we have prepared a Step-By-Step Guide to assist you in navigating the free NRC Virtual Store ordering process |
| 02-APR-2019 | NOVA SCOTIA Building Code | Joe
Rogers, P. Eng., Building Code Coordinator for the Province of Nova
Scotia, has announced that the following amendments have been made to the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations:
|
| 19-MAR-2019 | ONTARIO Ontario Building Code Next Edition | On March 6, 2019, Richard Lyall, President of RESCON (Residential Construction Council of Ontario), reported in his RESCON Blog,
that the Honourable Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and
Housing for Ontario, delivered a speech at RESCON's annual general
meeting in February, 2019, where the Minister addressed the next
edition of the Ontario. The Minister is reported to have said: “Also,
we were just talking about the building code and the fact that about
harmonizing our code to the national code is something that is very
important to our government." “So we have a number of balls up in the air that we are working on right now. We have to leave our house in better fiscal order … We have to do things differently …" “The previous government consulted on the changes but as of Jan. 1, 2019, the changes weren’t finalized, they didn’t come into effect. The code was the same on Jan. 1st, 2019, as it was on Dec. 31st. We’re working again to update the building code to reflect some of the technological consultations and some of the changes, some of the expert research, some of the input that was done as part of the national construction code that was released in 2015. I’ve been pretty consistent when I’ve spoken (previously) to say that we need to catch up. We need to have that harmonization. We need to do it for jobs, we need to do it for inter-provincial trade, we need to do it to make it easier for Ontario manufacturers and developers and business to be operating in our province, and for people to have that consistency to be able to keep costs down. Reducing red tape, having efficient regulations, putting health and safety in the window is something that our government puts as our priority." CodeNews.ca graciously thanks Richard Lyall for permission to copy the above quotes from the RESCON Blog. So, there you have it folks:
|
| 18-MAR-2019 | ONTARIO 2007 Ontario Fire Code |
In its Bulletin #001/19, dated March
18,2019, the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management
(OFMEM) announced that Ontario Regulation 33/19, a
regulation made under the Fire
Protection and Prevention Act, 1997, to amend the 2007
Fire Code (Ontario Regulation 213/07) by making housekeeping changes
(to update or clarify requirements) and by adding requirements for the
following:
For more details, see Fire Marshal's Communiqué 2019-02, dated March 15, 2019. |
| 14-MAR-2019 | ALBERTA Gas Safety STANDATA Gas Safety Information Bulletin Fire/Electrical Interpretation Fire/Building Variance |
On
March 14, 2019, Alberta Municipal Affairs announced that the
following Gas Safety Information Bulletin has been revised: This Bulletin lists nationally recognized certification bodies or inspection bodies, currently operating in Alberta, that are accredited by the Standards Council of Canada to inspect and approve uncertified gas-fired appliances and equipment. On March 14, 2019, Alberta Municipal Affairs also announced that the following Fire/Electrical Interpretation had been issued: This Interpretation identifies the applicable requirements where a building fire alarm system requires inspection, testing, maintenance,or the installation of devicesor other equipment. It also defines who is able to inspect, test, maintain and install fire alarm systems in Alberta. On March 14, 2019, Alberta Municipal Affairs also announced that the following Fire/Building Variance had been issued: This Variance sets out the conditions for the use of antifreeze solutions in sprinkler systems that are located in -20°C or colder climates within the Province of Alberta. |
| 08-MAR-2019 |
 Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000 Fuels Safety Program Advisory |
On March 8, 2019, the Technical Standards and Safety
Authority (TSSA) issued an Advisory (FS-243-19) titled "Cell Phone Use
at Gas Station Dispensers" to announce that it will permit
cell phones to be used for payment at dispensers at licensed gasoline
facilities in Ontario. This was in response to a risk assessment related to “Risk Associated with Cell Phone Use During Refueling”, dated February 4, 2019, by Adrian Pieroraio, P. Eng. & Syed Taha of BakerRisk, that was commissioned by the Canadian Fuels Association. The assessment concluded that the chance that a cell phone will ignite the vapours generated at the pumps is negligible (i.e. one chance in 10 billion). |
| 08-MAR-2019 | National Research Council of Canada CCBFC Construction Codes of Canada |
Joe
Rogers, P. Eng., Building Code Coordinator for the Province of Nova
Scotia, forwarded the following update issued by Martin Thériault,
Director Built Environment Regulations and Specifications, Construction
Research Centre, NRC: "On February 28,
2019, the Government of Canada confirmed funding that
will support ongoing and future building code development work. This is
good news that will allow NRC to continue to support the building code
development system and to provide free access to the national model
codes.
For more information, contact:Starting in spring 2019, NRC will offer free online access to the National Building Code, the National Fire Code, the National Plumbing Code, and the National Energy Code for Buildings, as well as the provincial codes published by NRC. Paper copies of the Codes, along with other supporting documents including the Guides, will be offered at a reduced cost. Due to these changes, longer term subscriptions are not currently available. Please touch base with us again in April for an update and more information." Martin Thériault,
Director Built Environment Regulations and Specifications
Construction Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Government of Canada E-mail: martin.theriault@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca Tel: 613-991-9952 |
| 26-FEB-2019 | QUÉBEC Le chapitre III, Plomberie du Code de construction du Québec |
On
February 25, 2019, the Corporation of Master Plumbing Mechanics
of Québec and the Régie du bâtiment du Québec, in
collaboration with Réseau Environnement and the Montreal chapter of the
American Society of Plumbing Engineers, announced the publication of the "Backflow Prevention Device Guide: Protecting
Drinking-Water Systems from Cross-Connection". This 88-page reference guide (5.5MB pdf) covers the use of backflow prevention devices in Québec and covers:
|
| 24-FEB-2019 | UL Standards ULC Standards UL ISO Standards |
Underwriters
Laboratories Inc. has now posted its entire library of UL-authored
Standards for open-access online viewing
capability for any interested individual or organization globally, for
the first time in its 125 years. As part of its long-term
vision,
UL has announced that this is a natural next step on the path that it
have been on for many years. Philip Piqueira, Vice President
Global Standards, Underwriters Laboratories Inc. has stated that: "The
best way to continue to build upon our mission is to offer this new
digital view to provide basic access to UL Standards for everyone.
Through this measure, global users of any economic means will be able to find, reference and employ our comprehensive UL Standards library. We believe that providing greater access and transparency to our Standards is the right way to continue to build trust deep into the next century." Individuals can view all UL and ULC standards by logging into the UL Standards Sales Site. Meanwhile, as reported in the 18-JUL-2018 News at CodeNews entry, Public.Resource.Org (PRO) successfully fought efforts by the ASTM, NFPA, and ASHRAE to prevent it from publishing standards that are incorporated by reference into law. Congratualtions to UL for setting an example! |
| 20-FEB-2019 | ALBERTA 2018 Canadian Electrical Code STANDATA |
On February 20, 2019, Alberta Municipal Affairs announced that the electrical STANDATA have been updated to the 2018 Canadian Electrical Code and are now available on the Municipal Affairs website. |
| 15-FEB-2019 | ALBERTA 2019 Alberta Edition of the National Building Code 2017 Edition of the National Energy Code for Buildings 2019 Alberta Edition of the National Fire Code |
On February 14, 2019, Alberta Municipal Affairs announced that the following codes
were adopted in February 2019 by provincial regulation:
Mandatory code update training is not required for updates to the 2019 Alberta editions of the National Building Code and National Fire Code or to the 2017 edition of the National Energy Code for Buildings. An overview of key code updates is posted at the National Research Council site. A new 74 page slide deck presentation of the building and energy code changes is available on the Alberta Municipal Affairs web site. |
| 05-FEB-2019 | ONTARIO 2018 Ontario Electrical Safety Code (27th edition) |
Ontario Regulation 478/18 was
filed on November 16, 2018 to adopt the 27th edition of the
Electrical Safety Code, which consists of:
The Electrical Safety Authority has published a document concerning "Frequently Asked Questions about the 2018 Ontario Electrical Safety Code – 27th Edition". The 2018 edition of the Ontario Electrical Safety Code reflects changes in technology and the marketplace, and incorporates feedback from stakeholders, technical reviews and new safety insights. The new edition includes changes designed to enhance electrical safety and protect workers and the public including:
|
| 01-FEB-2019 | ALBERTA Electrical Code |
On January 31, 2019, Alberta Municipal Affairs announced
that the Twenty-fourth edition of the Canadian Electrical Code, Part1
I (CSA-C22.1-18) was published in January 2018 by the Canadian
Standards Association and automatically comes into effect on February
1, 2019 throughout the Province of Alberta. |
| 30-JAN-2019 | ALBERTA Building Code Variance STANDATA |
On January 30, 2019, Alberta Municipal Affairs
announced the publication of the following Building Code
Variance: The variance sets out the conitions for the use of sprinkler protected glazed assemblies used in fire rated wall assemblies. Ontario Building Code users already have the luxury of a made-in-Ontario requirement to address these systems, which are found in Article 3.1.8.18. of Division B of the current Ontario Building Code. |
| 01-JAN-2019 | ONTARIO 2012 Building Code |
The
Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing issued Ontario
CodeNews e-bulletin #272, dated December 24, 2018, to announce new
Building Code related fees for registrations for building practitioners
regulated under the Building Code Act, 1992, effective on January 1,
2019: - $114 Initial Registration/Reinstatement and Annual Renewal for Building Officials & Independent Designers & Septic System Installers - $181 Initial Registration/Reinstatement for Design Firms - $136 Annual Renewal for Design Firms - $39 Updating class of registration for Design Firms - $430 Initial Registration/Reinstatement for Registered Code Agencies - $317 Annual Renewal for Registered Code Agencies - $73 Updating class of registration for Registered Code Agencies Other fee increases: - Applications to the Building Code Commission: $189 - Applications for Minister’s Rulings authorizing the use of innovative products: $621 - Applications to the Building Materials Evaluation Commission: $11,000 (no increase) |
| 2018 | SEE 2018 NEWS ARCHIVES | Link to archives of News at CodeNews for items posted between January 1 - December 31, 2018. |
| 2017 | SEE 2017 NEWS ARCHIVES | Link to archives of News at CodeNews for items posted between January 1 - December 31, 2017. |
| 2016 | SEE 2016 NEWS ARCHIVES | Link to archives of News at CodeNews for items posted between January 1 - December 31, 2016. |
| 2015 | SEE 2015 NEWS ARCHIVES | Link to archives of News at CodeNews for items posted between January 1 - December 31, 2015. |
| PRIOR
TO 01-JAN-2015 |
SEE
NEWS ARCHIVES |
Link to archives of News at
CodeNews for items posted prior to January 1, 2015. |
DATE |
SEMINAR |
| Wednesday 04-DEC-2019 | Alek
Antoniuk was a speaker at The Buildings Show 2019, which took place at the
Metro Toronto Convention Centre. He spoke at: Session WS111 - The 2020 Ontario Building Code Updates, in Room 701A of the South Building, to an audience of over 230 persons. THIS PRESENTATION WAS SOLD OUT DOWNLOAD THE PRESENTATION SLIDE DECK |
| Thursday 29-NOV-2018 |
Alek
Antoniuk was a speaker at The
Buildings Show 2018. The event took
place
on November 28 - 29 in the South and North Buildings of the Metro
Toronto Convention Centre. He spoke at Session, TS103 - Ontario Building Code Update: Three of the Most Recent Changes You Need Know, on Thursday, November 29 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Room 715 of the South Building. THIS PRESENTATION WAS SOLD OUT DOWNLOAD THE PRESENTATION SLIDE DECK |
| Friday 22-JUN-2018 |
Due
to popular demand, Alek Antoniuk delivered a repeat seminar on
the recent major changes to the Ontario Building Code and Act that was
delivered at the 2018 AATO Annual General Meeting and Conference.
|
| Friday 27-APR-2018 |
Alek Antoniuk delivered a seminar on the recent major changes to the Ontario Building Code and Act at the 2018 Annual General Meeting and Conference of the Association of Architectural Technologists of Ontario, on Friday, April 27, 2018, in Vaughan, Ontario. |
| Wednesday 21-MAR-2018 |
Alek Antoniuk delivered a seminar on the major
changes to the Ontario Building Code,
contained in O. Reg. 139/17, for the
Golden Triangle Chapter of the OBOA on Wednesday, March 21, 2018. The Golden Triangle Chapter has opened the presentation to designers and other code users for a nominal fee of $40 for the seminar. |
| Thursday 25-JAN-2018 |
Alek Antoniuk delivered a seminar on the major changes
to the Ontario Building Code, contained
in O. Reg. 139/17, which came into effect on July 1, 2017, as well
as the changes that will
come into effect on January 1, 2018 and January 1, 2020, for the
Greater Toronto Area Chapter of the OBOA. Three slide decks
were
presented:
|
| Thursday 18-JAN-2018 |
Alek Antoniuk delivered a seminar on the major changes
to the Ontario Building Code, contained
in O. Reg. 139/17, which came into effect on July 1, 2017, as well
as the changes that will
come into effect on January 1, 2018 and January 1, 2020, for the
Niagara District Chapter of the OBOA.. Three slide decks were
presented:
|
| Tuesday 12-DEC-2017 |
Alek Antoniuk delivered a seminar on the major changes
to the Ontario Building Code, contained
in O. Reg. 139/17, which came into effect on July 1, 2017, as well
as the changes that will
come into effect on January 1, 2018, for the City of Niagara Falls'
Building and Fire Services staff.. Three slide decks were
presented
|
| Tuesday 14-NOV-2017 |
Alek Antoniuk delivered a seminar on the major changes
to retirement homes and houses, contained
in O. Reg. 139/17, which came into effect on July 1, 2017, as well
as the electric vehicle charging station requirements that
will
come into effect on January 1, 2018, to a meeting of
the Wellington Waterloo District Chapter of the OBOA. CodeNews Consulting Corp., Consulting Architect, has prepared an additional presentation that will be of interest to architects, engineers, other designers, building officials, and builders on:
|
| Wednesday 26-JUL-2017 |
Alek Antoniuk delivered a presentations on the major
changes to retirement homes and houses, contained
in O. Reg. 139/17, which came into effect on July 1, 2017, for the Town
of Orangeville's Building Department and its invited guests, including
selected architects, engineers, and municipal building officials. Presentations are now available for your organization. CodeNews Consulting Corp., Consulting Architect, is not aware of the general availability of any presentations on the recent OBC changes. Therefore, CodeNews has prepared the following two presentations that will be of interest to architects, engineers, other designers, building officials, and builders:
|
| Wednesday 08-JUL-2015 |
Alek
Antoniuk delivered a presentation titled: "Considerations for Building & Fire
Departments in Enforcing the Code" at the Fire and Life Safety in Modern Construction
Seminars, in Waterloo, Ontario, hosted by the University of Waterloo and Sereca
Consulting.
This presentation examines the implications of 6-storey wood
framed construction for building and fire officials.
Ontario's Exit
Cocoon Conundrum is explained. The slide deck for this presentation contains slides from a presentation titled: "Mid-rise Wood Frame Buildings", dated April 7, 2015, presented by Alan Shaw, CBO, City of Sarnia, Vice President of the Ontario Building Officials Associaiton (OBOA). Use of the OBOA's material in this slide deck is authorized by Mike Seiling, President of the OBOA. |
| 8:30-12:00 14:00-17:30 Friday 09-MAY-2014 |
Alek
Antoniuk delivered a presentation titled: “New Accessibility
Changes to the Building Code” at the 2014 OAA Conference. A morning session and an afternoon session were held at
the Queen Elizabeth Fairmont Hotel, 900 René-Lévesque
Boulevard West, Montréal. The “New Accessibility Changes to the Building Code” presentation consists of Slide Deck 1 and Slide Deck 2 and references the following documents:
|
| Tuesday 01-APR-2014 |
Alek Antoniuk delivered a presentation titled: “Ontario Building Code - April 2014 Update” at the Dinner Meeting of the Toronto Chapter of Construction Specifications Canada. |
| Thursday 13-FEB-2014 |
The Society of Fire Protection Engineers,
National Capital Region Chapter, held its 32nd Annual Meeting
and Education Forum in Ottawa, Ontario. Keynote Speakers for the topic of Mid-Rise Wood Frame Construction were:
|
| Wednesday 22-JAN-2014 |
Alek
Antoniuk and David Johnson presented a seminar on "
Understanding the Impact on Multi-residential Construction of Changes
to Part 3, 2014 Ontario Building Code & the Announced
Requirements for
Accessibilty for 2015". This seminar is sponsored by RESCON
and buildABILITY. Alek Antoniuk's presentation is titled: "An Overview of the Accessibility Amendments to Ontario’s Building Code" and is intended to cover the highlights of the changes to the 2012 Ontario Building Code resulting from the filing of O. Reg. 368/13, as they apply to “Part 3" multi-residential buildings. The presentation references the following documents:
|
| Tuesday 10-DEC-2013 |
Alek Antoniuk delivered a NORR
ed presentation titled: “2012 Ontario Building Code Update”. The presentation referenced the following documents:
|
RESCON News Letter |
Alek Antoniuk is a contributor to the RESCON News Letter - Subscribe here |
| RESCON Industry News October 2015 |
In this issue, Alek Antoniuk's RESCON CodeLetter #10 provides an update on current consultations on building related legislation and standards and provides further information on the "X" Permit proposal for Ontario. |
| RESCON Industry News September 2015 |
In this issue, Alek Antoniuk's RESCON CodeLetter #9 examines whether it is possible to cut the Gordian Knot around construction regulations in Ontario and points to the example of Quebec and Alberta. |
| RESCON Industry News August 2015 |
In this issue, Alek Antoniuk's RESCON CodeLetter #8 provides
a chronological list of changes to Building Code documents related to
the barrier-free changes and also asks the question: “Is Information on the OBC Accessibility (Barrier-Free) Changes Readily Accessible?” |
| RESCON Industry News May 2015 |
In this issue, Alek Antoniuk's RESCON CodeLetter #7 reports on efforts to release the more than 92 unpublished rulings that have been made by the Building Code Commission since 2010, including recent rulings on standpipe and hose systems. |
| RESCON Industry News April 2015 |
In this issue, Alek Antoniuk's RESCON CodeLetter #6 examines whether Ontario's building regulatory system is capable of efficiently adapting to new technologies, such as off grid buildings. |
| RESCON Industry News March 2015 |
In this issue, Alek Antoniuk's RESCON CodeLetter #5 reports on a recent ruling by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice that a municipality is not liable for any harm or damage resulting from any act or omission of a Registered Code Agency. |
| RESCON Industry News February 2015 |
In this issue, Alek Antoniuk's RESCON CodeLetter #4 reviews the new Ontario Building Code mid-rise combustible construction requirements of Ontario Regulation 191/14 and how Ontario's building exit rules may create problems for your design. |
| RESCON Industry News December 2014 |
From the December 2014 RESCON Industry News:Regulatory reform is long overdueI encourage you to read and comment on Alek Antoniuk’s latest RESCON CodeLetter #3. RESCON has long been an advocate of Regulatory Change in Ontario as we believe the current system that regulates Development/Building activities is no longer capable of responding in an efficient manner to the rapid changes in processing information and construction activities, resulting from the use of new and emerging technologies. I asked Alek to tackle this subject, given that the expertise he developed while at the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing puts him in a unique position to share his perspective on this topic. RESCON believes it’s time to start a conversation between industry stakeholders and the regulators who control our Industry on how we can affect the changes that would benefit all by:
Join the
conversation. Now is the time for action.
Michael Steele. B. Tech. (C.M.) Director, Technical Standards / RESCON Email: michael.steele@rescon.com |
| RESCON Industry News September 2014 |
In this issue, Alek Antoniuk's RESCON CodeLetter #2 reviews the new Ontario Building Code accessibility and barrier-free design requirements of Ontario Regulation 368/13 and how they may affect your building project if you apply for a building permit after January 1, 2015. |
| RESCON Industry News August 2014 |
This issue includes Alek Antoniuk's first article of the RESCON CodeLetter, of a series of articles that will be released throughout the year. |
JURISDICTION |
CODE |
PUBLICATION |
 |
British Columbia Building Code | Technical Bulletins |
 |
Alberta Building Code | STANDATA |
 |
Saskatchewan Ministry of Government Relations | Announcements |
 |
Manitoba Office of the Fire Commissioner | Bulletins and Announcements |
 |
Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing | Ontario CodeNews (Building Code, including plumbing) |
| Electrical Safety Authority | ESA Newsletters (Electrical) | |
| Technical Standards & Safety Authority | Corporate News (Boilers & Pressure Vessels, Elevating Devices, Hydrocarbon Fuels) |
|
| Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management | OFM e-Bulletin (developments of interest to the fire safety community, including items pertaining to fire safety standards, legislation and codes) | |
 |
Régie du bâtiment du Québec | Les nouvelles |
 |
Nova Scotia Labour and Advanced Education | Building and Plumbing Code Newsletter |
 |
This web site is developed by Alek Antoniuk, OAA, BCIN #14661 Toronto, Ontario, Canada cell: +1-416-856-0241 e-mail:  The e-mail address is a graphic to ward off spam robots .....! Note that there is a "." (dot) between "alek" and "antoniuk".! |
