THE Province adopted the British Columbia Building and Fire Codes (BC Codes 2024) to provide people with a greater level of building safety and to make new buildings more sustainable, resilient and accessible.
“As we take historic steps to build more homes for people faster, we are also taking action to make sure homes are safe, accessible and more resilient to climate change,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing, on Tuesday. “We have to find ways to innovate and build differently. Over the next year, the Province will lead a discussion on enabling single-egress stairs in the BC Building Code.”
Key updates to the building code will require all new buildings to:
* provide one living space that is designed not to exceed 26 C;
* have power-operated doors in all building entrances and universal washrooms; and
* have an elevator in all large two- and three-storey apartment buildings.
Additional updates to the building code focus on accessibility, mass-timber construction and radon safety.
“We have seen evidence of extreme weather impacting our province and warmer temperatures because of climate change,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer. “We need to find ways to protect people in B.C., especially those most at risk from being impacted by extreme heat, to have the supports they need to be safe. These adjustments to the BC Building Code are one measure that will help to ensure people in shared spaces have somewhere they can go to on hot days to stay cool and be better protected from hot weather. We know that heat can sneak up on us, so we want people to be as prepared as they can to find cool places when temperatures rise.”
Most updates to the building code will come into effect provincewide on March 8, 2024. The implementation window will allow construction and housing-industry professionals more time to review the changes and complete any necessary training. It will also allow an easier transition for housing projects underway.
The updates align with the new Residential Development Act, which includes small-scale, multi-unit housing (SSMUH) legislation that will allow three to four units on land currently zoned for single-family homes and duplexes, and as many as six units near bus stops with frequent transit service.
The Province is deferring the effective date on the adaptable dwellings and earthquake-design changes to March 10, 2025, to provide a one-year transition period. This will allow the Ministry of Housing to work with interested parties and local governments to develop strategies to implement the new requirements.
“Eliminating barriers to accessibility is a core motive in our efforts to making our province a safe and barrier-free place to live in,” said Susie Chant, Parliamentary Secretary for Accessibility. “We are taking action on what we’ve heard in our engagements with British Columbians, especially people living with disabilities. That is why we are updating the standards in our building code to support everyone in their day-to-day activities.”
As the Province updates the building code, it continues to work to identify and review opportunities to support cost-effective and efficient construction of more new homes. The Province, along with fire-safety professionals and national partners, is examining opportunities in codes, including requirements for egress stairs. These opportunities may simplify the design of smaller multi-unit residential buildings and create options for quicker and more affordable construction, while maintaining or enhancing safety.
The BC Building Code is a provincial regulation that governs how a building’s construction, alterations and demolitions are required to be carried out. The code establishes minimum requirements for safety, health, accessibility, fire and structural protection of buildings, and energy and water efficiency.
Quick Facts:
* The changes include updates to Plumbing Systems Book II and adoption of the National Fire Code 2020 as the BC Fire Code.
* The BC Building Code applies across the province, except on some federal lands and in the City of Vancouver, which has its own building bylaw.
* Adoption of the new BC Codes follows an 11-week public engagement on accessibility from October 2021 until January 2022, and a four-week public review in spring 2023, which invited interested parties to review and comment on a variety of proposed building-code changes. A second engagement happened in October 2023 to explore the impact of earthquake-design changes.
* The four-week technical review in spring 2023 resulted in 251 responses, the majority of which indicated that the proposals were clear and buildable.
Learn More:
To learn about the new BC Codes, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/
BACKGROUNDER
What to know about changes to the BC Building Code
The Province is adopting changes to the BC Building Code (BC Code), a provincial regulation that governs how buildings in B.C. get built. Most code changes will come into effect on March 8, 2024, except for adaptable dwellings and earthquake-design changes which will come into effect on March 10, 2025.
A summary of the changes to new residential buildings:
Accessibility:
* Power-operated doors in all building entrances and universal washrooms.
* An elevator in all large two- and three-storey apartment buildings.
* Designated wheelchair spaces in event facilities.
* More inclusive signage to increase wayfinding and building safety.
* Full-size change tables in universal washrooms.
* Assisted-listening systems for people with hearing loss.
Cooling requirements:
* All new residential buildings must provide one living space that is designed not to exceed 26 C. This may require a cooling appliance in many parts of the province, depending on weather and site conditions.
Mass-timber construction:
* The Province has permitted the use of mass-timber buildings, in harmonization with the National Building Code 2020, across B.C.
Radon safety:
* Provincewide adoption of a rough-in for a radon-extraction system.
Adaptable dwellings:
Adaptable dwellings are designed and built with features that can be changed to meet occupants’ needs, allowing them to stay in their homes through illness, injury, and/or aging.
* All residential suites in large residential buildings and ground-floor suites in small apartment buildings will have:
* accessible clearances through doorways and along paths of travel to living spaces;
* manoeuvring space in a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen;
* switches and other controls at an accessible height; and
* reinforcement of bathroom walls to allow future installation of grab bars.
* Modest increases for smaller residential housing, such as single-detached homes, townhomes and row homes, will require:
* reinforcement of bathroom walls to allow future installation of grab bars.
Earthquake design:
* New methodologies for earthquake design for small buildings, in harmonization with the National Building Code.
* These changes respond to increased earthquake risks and new national standards to protect new buildings and life safety.
