AMCTO has submitted comments to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing on the proposed amendments to Ontario’s Building Code Services.

We have expressed concerns with the proposed creation of the administrative authority and its wider financial implications for Ontario’s municipalities. More specifically, we believe the authority would:

• Increase the administrative burden on municipal staff: Municipal clerks and treasurers would be responsible to report and remit the data and funds associated with paying the authority in turn creating a burden for the municipality;

• Potentially increase the risk of additional liability against a municipal government: In cases involving third parties with review and approvals of building permit applications, municipal governments could see increased of risk for building code negligence where joint and several liability is applied; and

• Impact local service delivery: Municipal governments currently have the authority and control to deliver services under the Building Code Act. With the involvement of third parties, municipalities would have diminished influence on the level of service set by the new authority.

The government announced the proposed amendments in September in an effort to address the lack of affordable housing in the province. The government states this authority will speed up the construction of new housing and building projects.

Ontario’s municipal governments currently enforce the Building Code Act and Building Code by setting fees, reviewing and issuing building permits, inspecting sites for compliance during construction, and issuing stop work and compliance orders.

For more information, please see below:

AMCTO: Ontario Proposing to Amend Building Code Services

Ontario’s Building Code