August 2026. With municipalities across Ontario planning for growth and the government already moving to cut red tape to build more homes, the Ontario Building Code must be updated to match the scale and urgency of the province’s housing targets. The most impactful way to streamline and simplify regulatory requirements within the OBC is through further harmonization with the National Model Codes. This would result in shorter project timelines and lower costs for builders, municipalities, and homebuyers. The Ontario Building Code should be modernized to reflect today’s building industry, streamline requirements, and reduce unnecessary regulatory burden while maintaining health, safety, and performance outcomes.
TAF recommends the Advisory Body:
- Further harmonize the Ontario Building Code with the National Model Codes of Canada by removing Ontario-specific amendments that lack a clear and compelling rationale. This will create clear, predictable requirements that help build industry capacity, ease labour mobility, and reduce interprovincial trade barriers.
- Modernize and streamline energy-efficiency requirements by removing supplementary standards SB-10 Energy Efficiency Requirements and SB-12 Energy Efficiency for Housing and adopting the tiered energy efficiency requirements specified in the National Model Codes.
- Adopt Energy Efficiency Tier 2 of the National Energy Code for Buildings and Tier 4 of the National Building Code.
Comments were submitted through the Environmental Registry of Ontario.