A Letter from CCA: Efforts towards harmonization of building codes

This letter was sent as part of the Canadian Construction Association (CCA)'s weekly e-newsletter.

View this letter on the CCA's website.

Dear colleagues and members,

I am writing today to draw your attention to a recent measure undertaken by the federal government, which we believe will be of benefit to our membership across the country.

As first announced in the Fall Economic Statement, the National Research Council (NRC), through the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS), has made the National Building Code of Canada free to access as of April 2, 2019. The code contains the national model and standards for buildings, fire, plumbing and energy, and sets out the requirements for the design and construction of new buildings. It also outlines the provisions for the alteration, change of use and demolition of existing buildings. The Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC), which includes volunteers, industry experts, governments and the public, are responsible for the development of the code.

Since responsibility for the code’s implementation varies from province to province, and even at the municipal level in a select few cases, the code is currently applied differently across the country. These differences in application impose significant costs and impacts on the productivity of the construction industry. The federal government’s move to make the code free is part of a wider effort to obtain an agreement between the provinces and territories on harmonized building codes across the country. The federal government has cited the efforts of other countries, such as in Australia where similar efforts resulted in an economic benefit of between $500 million and $1 billion dollars annually.

The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) welcomes this news and will continue to monitor progress on the larger effort towards countrywide harmonization. If you have any questions, please contact our vice-president of public affairs, Rodrigue Gilbert, at rgilbert@cca-acc.com or 613-808-7435.

Copies of codes and supplementary documents

Best regards,



Mary Van Buren, MBA, CAE
President
Canadian Construction Association
1900 - 275 Slater Street Ottawa ON K1P 5H9
613-236-9455, ext. 414