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Second public review of National Building and National Plumbing codes

February 25, 2023 – The Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes (CBHCC) is inviting code users and stakeholders to participate in the second public review of proposed changes to the 2020 editions of the National Model Codes.

The proposed changes included in this review will address the following topics in the National Building and National Plumbing codes of Canada:

• structural design (Part 9) – lateral loads
• large farm buildings
• building fire safety, fire protection
• combustible construction – fire protection and safety
• fire alarm and detection systems
• encapsulated mass timber construction
• spatial separation between buildings
• accessibility – inclusive plumbing accommodation
• environmental separation
• spray-applied polyurethane insulation
• drainage systems

The public review commences February 27 and runs until April 27, 2023. More details on how to participate will be sent via the Construction Innovation email distribution list. To be added to the list, subscribe through National Research Council Canada’s website.

The public review affords you the opportunity to comment on whether the proposed changes should be approved, modified or withdrawn. Comments received can also inform improvements to the proposed changes.

Following the public review, all comments will be considered by the relevant code development committees, and recommendations on the proposed changes will be made to the Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes. If approved, the changes will be included in the 2025 editions of the National Model Codes, which are published by National Research Council Canada and adopted—with or without modifications—by provincial or territorial authorities having jurisdiction over local building, fire, plumbing and energy regulations.

Public reviews for future sets of proposed changes to the 2020 editions of the National Codes are planned to take place later this year, and in 2024.

For more information, email the Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes at CBHCCSecretary-SecretaireCCHCC@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca.