Ontario builders are urging the provincial government to allow six-storey wood frame structures.
The Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD), Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) and Canadian Wood Council recently released a report advocating for this change to the Ontario Building Code.
Builders assert this change will result in the affordable construction of mid-rise buildings.
Currently, the code limits wood frame construction to four storeys.
“Building mid-rise housing becomes more expensive when you go above four storeys because you have to use materials like concrete and steel,” says Leith Moore, president of the Ontario Home Builders’ Association and vice-president of development at Sorbara Development Group. “If the Ontario Building Code allowed for six-storey wood frame construction, costs would go down and options for new home buyers would go up.”
Planning and economic rationales for the building code change are outlined in the report, commissioned by BILD and authored by former City of Toronto chief planner, Paul Bedford.
Following its release, the Cement Association of Canada (CAC) issued a rebuttal, outlining its concerns with the calls for change. In a press release, the CAC wrote it is concerned these proposed changes could put cost savings ahead of safety. The release cited, as an example of its concern with the proposed changes, the 2011 Richmond, B.C., fire that saw the first six-storey wood frame structure completely destroyed during the construction phase.
BILD and RESCON commissioned a complementary report to investigate fire safety issues related to an increased use of combustible material in six-storey wood frame construction.
“The National Fire Code and regulations in Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act contain many provisions for construction projects that address potential fire hazards and provide solutions to reduce risks,” says Marianne Berube, executive director of the Canadian Wood Council. “Wood frame buildings have to meet the same standards as those built using other materials.”
Changes to the Ontario Building Code would be similar to changes made to B.C.’s building code in 2009, which had an immediate impact on the local economy.
