Building Owners and the Ontario Fire Code (OFC)

Building owners in Ontario have many responsibilities under the Ontario Fire Code, including:

• Fire safety equipment: Installing, maintaining, and regularly inspecting fire safety equipment like alarms, extinguishers, and sprinkler systems.
• Fire safety plan: Preparing, approving, and implementing a fire safety plan for the building.
• Fire drills: Practising fire drills frequently.
• Fire safety education: Offering fire safety education and training to employees and occupants.
• Building materials: Using fire-resistant building materials that meet code standards.
• Electrical systems and heating equipment: Ensuring electrical systems and heating equipment meet fire safety standards.
• Fire inspections: Regularly inspecting the building to ensure compliance and obtain necessary certifications.
• Temporary fire safety measures: Putting temporary fire safety measures in place during construction or renovation projects.
• Records: Keeping records of tests, corrective measures, and operational procedures.
• Fire separation: Dwelling units with more than one storey, including basements, must be separated from the rest of the building by a fire separation with a fire-resistance rating of at least one hour.
• Egress: Dwelling units with more than one storey must have an exit door or egress door on each floor that opens directly into a public access. The exit or egress door should be no more than 1.5 metres above or below the floor level.
• Maintenance: Landlords are also responsible for:
  • Maintaining the condition of walls, ceilings, corridors, and exit stairs.
  • Regularly inspecting these areas for damage.
  • Keeping garage or shed storage under control for volume and accessibility.
  • Providing working smoke alarms.
  • Testing alarms monthly.
  • Maintaining alarms in operating condition.
  • Installing alarms according to manufacturer's instructions.
  • Replacing alarms within the timeframe indicated by the manufacturer's instructions.
  • Informing tenants about the fire safety system.

Ontario has zero tolerance for fire code violations, and landlords can be fined immediately. Fines for not having proper fire code maintenance requirements can be up to $50,000 and/or up to a year of imprisonment.

For more details about the Ontario Fire Code (OFC), you can view it here.

The Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs also has information for Landlords that is worth taking a look and adds a couple common questions like:

1. My tenant refuses to let me access the unit to check smoke alarms, what do I do?
2. My tenant keeps disabling the smoke alarm, what do I do?