Quebec Construction Code,
Chapter I – Building, and
National Building Code of
Canada 2010 (amended)
Issued by the
National Research Council of Canada
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First Edition 2001
Second Edition 2008
Third Edition 2015
ISBN 0-660-03149-1
NR24-20/1-2015E
NRCC 56189
© National Research Council of Canada 2015
Ottawa
World Rights Reserved
Printed in Canada
First Printing
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1
Aussi disponible en français :
Code de construction du Québec, Chapitre I – Bâtiment, et Code national du bâtiment – Canada 2010 (modifié)
CNRC 56189F
ISBN 0-660-03151-4
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The Régie du bâtiment du Québec and the National Research Council of Canada
present the Quebec Construction Code, Chapter I – Building, and National
Building Code of Canada 2010 (amended), which has been prepared to facilitate
the application throughout the province of Quebec of the Construction Code
adopted under the Building Act (Order in Council 347-2015, 15 April 2015,
G.O. 2. 583).
Coming into effect
The amendments to Chapter I, Building, of the Construction Code became
effective on June 13, 2015 (Order in Council 347-2015, 15 April 2015,
G.O. 2. 583).
Divisions
The document has two divisions:
Division I of Volume 1 contains Chapter I, Building, without the amendments to
the National Building Code of Canada 2010 (NBC) as adopted by the province of
Quebec and mentioned in subparagraph 1.09 of Section 1, Chapter I, Building.
Division II contains the 2010 NBC including the amendments adopted by the
province of Quebec. The reader should note that these amendments are
indicated with bold-type vertical lines in the margin. Reproduction of Chapter I,
Building, including the Quebec amendments, has been authorized by Les
Publications du Québec.
The edition of the NBC reproduced in Division II contains certain errata and
revisions approved by the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes
published in December 2012 and October 2013. Code pages containing errata or
revisions adopted by the province of Quebec are identified with the words
“Amended Page” in the footer.
Questions or comments
The public are invited to submit their questions and comments regarding the
amendments to the NBC 2010 as adopted by the province of Quebec, by writing
to the following address:
La directrice du bâtiment, Direction de la réglementation et expertise technique
Régie du bâtiment du Québec
545 East Crémazie Boulevard
7
thfloor
Montréal, Quebec
H2M 2V2
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Building Act
(chapter B-1.1, ss. 10, 19, 173, 176, 176.1, 178, 179, 185, subpars. 0.1, 0.2, 2.2,
3, 7, 37 and 38, and s. 192)
1. The Construction Code (chapter B-1.1, r. 2) is amended by replacing
Chapter I by the following:
DIVISION I
SCOPE
1.01. In this Chapter, unless the context indicates otherwise, "Code" means the
"National Building Code of Canada 2010" (NRCC 53301) and the "Code
national du bâtiment – Canada 2010" (CNRC 53301F), first printing,
published on 29 November 2010 by the Canadian Commission on Building
and Fire Codes, National Research Council of Canada, excluding any later
amendments, except errata, that may be published by that organization.
The Code is incorporated into this Chapter by reference, subject to the
amendments specified in section 1.09.
1.02 Subject to the exemptions in section 1.04, this Chapter applies to all
construction work that is performed on a building to which the Building Act
(chapter B-1.1) applies and to any facility intended for use by the public
designated in section 1.03 and to the vicinity of that building or facility.
For the purposes of this Division, the definitions set out in the Code apply,
unless otherwise provided.
1.03. The following facilities are intended for use by the public for the purposes
of section 10 of the Act:
(1) stands, grandstands or exterior terraces whose highest point, above
the ground, is more than 1.2 m and whose load capacity is more
than 60 persons,
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(a) as dwellings or care, treatment or detention occupancies
whose floor area is 100 m
2or more, or
(b) as assembly occupancies or mercantile occupancies whose
floor area is more than 150 m
2or whose load capacity is more
than 60 persons, and
(3) belvederes built with materials other than backfill and constituted of
horizontal platforms linked by their construction elements whose
total area is more than 100 m
2or whose load capacity is more than
60 persons including access facilities.
1.04. The following buildings, other than private seniors’ residences, are
exempted from the application of this Chapter if used solely for one of
the major occupancies provided for in the Code:
(1) an assembly occupancy not covered by paragraph 6 that
accommodates not more than 9 persons,
(2) a care or detention occupancy that constitutes
(a) a prison,
(b) a supervised education centre with or without detention
facilities used to shelter or accommodate not more than
9 persons, or
(c) a convalescent home, a care occupancy or assistance
occupancy or a rehabilitation centre used to shelter or
accommodate not more than 9 persons;
(3) a residential occupancy that constitutes
(a) a rooming house or an outfitter offering no lodgings that has
not more than 9 rooms,
(b) a single-family dwelling in which a bed and breakfast is
operated by a natural person, which is also used as the
person's residence, having not more than 5 bedrooms offered
for rent,
(c) a single-family dwelling in which a school that accommodates
less than 15 students at a time is operated by a natural person,
which is also used as the person's residence,
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(d) a monastery, a convent or a novitiate whose owner is a
religious corporation incorporated under a special Act of
Québec or the Religious Corporations Act (chapter C-71),
where that building or part of the building divided by a firewall
is occupied by not more than 30 persons and has not more
than 3 storeys in building height,
(e) a shelter used to shelter or accommodate not more than 9
persons, or
(f) a building used as a dwelling unit having
(i) not more than 2 storeys in building height, or
(ii) not more than 8 dwelling units;
(4) a business and personal services occupancy having not more than
2 storeys in building height,
(5) a mercantile occupancy having a total floor area of not more than
300 m
2,
(6) a day care centre used to shelter or accommodate not more than
9 persons,
(7) a subway station,
(8) an agricultural facility, and
(9) an industrial occupancy.
Despite the exemption provided for in the first paragraph, the energy efficiency
requirements contained in Part 11 of the Code apply to the construction work
performed on every building
(1) having a building area of not more than 600 m
2,
(2) having a building height of not more than 3 storeys, and
(3) of Group C major occupancy and housing only dwelling units.
DIVISION II
REFERENCES
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or a code is a reference to that standard or code as adopted by the
chapter of the Construction Code or Safety Code (chapter B-1.1, r. 3)
that refers to it.
DIVISION III
PREFABRICATED BUILDINGS
1.06. In this Division, "prefabricated building" means any building all of whose
sections or panels are manufactured.
1.07. A prefabricated building must not be sold, rented, exchanged or
acquired, unless it has been certified to Standard CAN/CSA-A277,
"Procedure for Factory Certification of Buildings", published by the
Canadian Standards Association.
1.08. Every prefabricated building manufactured by a plant that has received
certification by a certification organization accredited by the Standards
Council of Canada and whose certification seal or label attests to
compliance with Standard CAN/CSA-A277, "Procedure for Factory
Certification of Buildings", is deemed to be certified.
DIVISION IV
AMENDMENTS TO THE CODE
1.09. (Publisher’s note: Amendments made by Quebec to the National
Building Code of Canada 2010 are incorporated in the Code reproduced
in Division II.)
DIVISION V
OFFENCE
1.10. Any contravention of one of the provisions of this Chapter constitutes an
offence.
3. Despite section 1.02, it is permitted to apply the provisions of Chapter I
of the Construction Code approved by Order in Council 293-2008 of 19
March 2008 to the construction of a building or its alteration, as defined
in this Chapter, provided that the work began before 13 December 2016.
4. Despite section 1.07, a prefabricated building whose manufacturing is
completed before 13 December 2016 may be sold, rented, exchanged or
acquired without approval or certification if the construction work to the
electrical installation was carried out by an electrical contractor.
5. This Regulation comes into force on 13 June 2015.
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DIVISION II
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National Building Code
of Canada
2010
(incorporating Quebec amendments)
Volume 1
Issued by the
National Research Council of Canada
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Table of Contents
Volume 1
Preface
Relationship of the NBC to Standards Development and Conformity Assessment
Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes and Standing Committees
Revisions and Errata Adopted by Quebec
Division A
Compliance, Objectives and Functional Statements
Part 1
Compliance
Part 2
Objectives
Part 3
Functional Statements
Appendix A
Explanatory Material
Division C
Administrative Provisions
Part 1
General
Part 2
Administrative Provisions
Appendix A
Explanatory Material
Attribution Tables of Division B
Volume 2
Division B
Acceptable Solutions
Part 1
General
Part 2
Reserved
Part 3
Fire Protection, Occupant Safety and Accessibility
Part 4
Structural Design
Part 5
Environmental Separation
Part 6
Heating, Ventilating and Air-conditioning
Part 7
Plumbing Services
Part 8
Reserved
Part 9
Housing and Small Buildings
Part 10
Existing Buildings under Alteration, Maintenance or Repair
Part 11
Energy efficiency
Appendix A
Explanatory Material
Appendix B
Fire Safety in High Buildings
Appendix C
Climatic Information
Appendix D
Fire-Performance Ratings
Index
National Building Code of Canada 2010 (incorporating Quebec amendments) Volume 1
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Preface
The National Building Code of Canada 2010, together with the National Plumbing Code of
Canada 2010 and the National Fire Code of Canada 2010, is an objective-based National
Model Code that can be adopted by provincial and territorial governments.
In Canada, provincial and territorial governments have the authority to enact legislation
that regulates building design and construction within their jurisdictions. This legislation
may include the adoption of the National Building Code (NBC) without change or with
modifications to suit local needs, and the enactment of other laws and regulations regarding
building design and construction, including the requirements for professional involvement.
The NBC is a model code in the sense that it helps promote consistency among provincial
and territorial building codes. Persons involved in the design or construction of a building
should consult the provincial or territorial government concerned to find out which building
code is applicable.
This edition of the NBC succeeds the 2005 edition.
National Building Code of Canada 2010
The National Building Code (NBC) sets out technical provisions for the design and
construction of new buildings. It also applies to the alteration, change of use and demolition
of existing buildings.
The NBC establishes requirements to address the following four objectives, which are fully
described in Division A of the Code:
• safety
• health
• accessibility for persons with disabilities
• fire and structural protection of buildings
Code provisions do not necessarily address all the characteristics of buildings that might be
considered to have a bearing on the Code's objectives. Through the extensive consensus
process used to develop and maintain the National Model Codes (see the section entitled
Development of the National Model Codes), the code-user community has decided which
characteristics should be regulated through the NBC.
Because the NBC is a model code, its requirements can be considered as the minimum
acceptable measures required to adequately achieve the above-listed objectives, as
recommended by the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes. They become
minimum acceptable requirements once they are adopted and passed into law or regulation
by an authority having jurisdiction: i.e. the requirements represent the minimum level of
performance required to achieve the objectives that is acceptable to the adopting authority.
Building code users are also involved in the development of the NBC and they help determine
the content. The Code development process is described in the section entitled Development
of the National Model Codes.
The NBC is a model code which, when adopted or adapted by a province or territory,
becomes a regulation. It is not a textbook on building design or construction. The design of
a technically sound building depends upon many factors beyond simple compliance with
National Building Code of Canada 2010 (incorporating Quebec amendments) Volume 1 v
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building regulations. Such factors include the availability of knowledgeable practitioners who
have received appropriate education, training and experience and who have some degree
of familiarity with the principles of good building practice and experience using textbooks,
reference manuals and technical guides.
The NBC does not list acceptable proprietary building products. It establishes the criteria that
building materials, products and assemblies must meet. Some of these criteria are explicitly
stated in the NBC while others are incorporated by reference to material or product standards
published by standards development organizations. Only those portions of the standards
related to the objectives of this Code are mandatory parts of the NBC.
Relationship between the National Building Code and the National
Fire Code
The National Building Code (NBC) and National Fire Code (NFC) each contain provisions
that deal with the safety of persons in buildings in the event of a fire and the protection
of buildings from the effects of fire.
(1)These two National Model Codes are developed as
complementary and coordinated documents to minimize the possibility of their containing
conflicting provisions. It is expected that buildings comply with both the NBC and the NFC.
The NBC generally applies at the time of construction and reconstruction while the NFC
applies to the operation and maintenance of the fire-related features of buildings in use.
The scope of each of these Codes with respect to fire safety and fire protection can be
summarized as follows:
The National Building Code covers the fire safety and fire protection features that are
required to be incorporated in a building at the time of its original construction. Building
codes typically no longer apply once a building is occupied, unless the building is
undergoing alteration or change of use, or being demolished.
The National Fire Code includes provisions for:
• the on-going maintenance and use of the fire safety and fire protection features
incorporated in buildings
• the conduct of activities that might cause fire hazards in and around buildings
• limitations on hazardous contents in and around buildings
• the establishment of fire safety plans
• fire safety at construction and demolition sites
In addition, the NFC contains provisions regarding fire safety and fire protection features
that must be added to existing buildings when certain hazardous activities or processes
are introduced in these buildings.
Some of the NFC's provisions are not duplicated directly in the NBC but are in fact adopted
through cross-references to the NFC. Thus, some NFC provisions may apply to original
construction, alterations, or changes in use.
Code Development
Development of the National Model Codes
The Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC) is responsible for the
content of the National Model Codes. The CCBFC is an independent body made up
of volunteers from across the country and from all facets of the code-user community.
Members of the CCBFC and its standing committees include builders, engineers, skilled
trade workers, architects, building owners, building operators, fire and building officials,
manufacturers and representatives of general interests.
(1) The NFC also applies to other types of facilities besides buildings (e.g. tank farms and storage yards). Those applications are not discussed here.
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Preface
The CCBFC is advised on scope, policy and technical issues pertaining to the Codes by
the Provincial/Territorial Policy Advisory Committee on Codes (PTPACC), which is a
committee of senior representatives from provincial/territorial ministries responsible for
the regulation of buildings, fire safety and plumbing in their jurisdictions. The PTPACC
was created by the provinces and territories, with provision of guidance to the CCBFC
as one of its main functions. Through the PTPACC and its subcommittees on building,
fire and plumbing regulation, the provinces and territories are engaged in every phase
of the model Code development process.
The Canadian Codes Centre of the National Research Council's Institute for Research
in Construction provides technical and administrative support to the CCBFC and its
standing committees. The National Research Council publishes the National Model Codes
and periodic revisions to the Codes to address pressing issues.
The broader code-user community also makes a significant contribution to the model
Code development process by submitting requests for changes or additions to the Codes
and by commenting on the collected proposed changes during the public reviews that
precede each new edition.
The CCBFC takes into consideration the advice received from the provinces and territories
as well as code users' comments at each stage of Code development. The scope and content
of the Model Codes are determined on a consensus basis, which involves the review of
technical, policy and practical concerns and debate on the implications of these concerns.
More information on the Code development process is available on the Internet at
www.nationalcodes.ca. Printed copies of this information may also be requested from the
Secretary of the CCBFC, whose address is provided at the end of this Preface.
Code Requirements
Every NBC requirement must address at least one of the Code's four stated objectives,
namely:
• safety
• health
• accessibility for persons with disabilities
• fire and structural protection of buildings
In dealing with proposed changes or additions to any of the National Model Codes, the
CCBFC considers many issues such as the following:
• Does the proposed requirement provide the minimum level of performance—and
no more than the minimum—needed to achieve the Code's objectives?
• Will persons responsible for Code compliance be able to act on or implement the
requirement using commonly accepted practices?
• Will enforcement agencies be able to enforce the requirement?
• Are the costs of implementing the requirement justifiable?
• Have the potential policy implications of the requirement been identified and
addressed?
• Is there broad consensus on this requirement among Code users representing all
facets of the design and construction industries as well as among provincial and
territorial governments?
Guidelines for requesting changes to the NBC are available on the Internet at
www.nationalcodes.ca. Printed copies of the guidelines may also be requested from the
Secretary of the CCBFC, whose address is provided at the end of this Preface.
Objective-Based Code Format
The National Building Code (NBC) was published in an objective-based code format for
the first time in 2005. This was the result of ten years of work on an initiative that arose
out of the strategic plan adopted by the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes
(CCBFC) in 1995.
National Building Code of Canada 2010 (incorporating Quebec amendments) Volume 1 vii
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The NBC comprises three Divisions:
• Division A, which defines the scope of the Code and contains the objectives, the
functional statements and the conditions necessary to achieve compliance;
• Division B, which contains acceptable solutions (commonly referred to as “technical
requirements”) deemed to satisfy the objectives and functional statements listed in
Division A; and
• Division C, which contains administrative provisions.
A more complete description of this division-based structure is included in the section
entitled Structure of Objective-Based Codes.
Apart from the inclusion of changes resulting from the normal Code development process,
the provisions in Division B are essentially the same as those found in the 2005 edition of the
NBC. Each requirement in Division B is linked to:
• objectives (such as safety or health) which individual requirements help to address,
• functional statements (statements on the functions of the building that a particular
requirement helps to achieve), and
• intent statements (detailed statements on the specific intent of the provision).
Objectives
The NBC's objectives are fully defined in Section 2.2. of Division A. Most of the top-level
objectives have two levels of sub-objectives.
The objectives describe, in very broad terms, the overall goals that the NBC's requirements
are intended to achieve. They serve to define the boundaries of the subject areas the Code
addresses. However, the Code does not deal with all the issues that might be considered
to fall within those boundaries.
The objectives describe undesirable situations and their consequences, which the Code
aims to avoid occurring in buildings. The wording of most of the definitions of the
objectives includes two key phrases: “limit the probability” and “unacceptable risk.”
The phrase “limit the probability” is used to acknowledge that the NBC cannot entirely
prevent those undesirable situations from happening. The phrase “unacceptable risk”
acknowledges that the NBC cannot eliminate all risk: the “acceptable risk” is the risk
remaining once compliance with the Code has been achieved.
The objectives are entirely qualitative and are not intended to be used on their own in the
design and approval processes.
The objectives attributed to the requirements or portions of requirements in Division B
are listed in tables in Volume 1.
Functional Statements
The NBC's functional statements are listed in Section 3.2. of Division A.
The functional statements are more detailed than the objectives: they describe conditions
in the building that help satisfy the objectives. The functional statements and the
objectives are interconnected: there may be several functional statements related to any
one objective and a given functional statement may describe a function of the building
that serves to achieve more than one objective.
Like objectives, functional statements are entirely qualitative and are not intended to be
used on their own in the design and approval processes.
The functional statements attributed to the requirements or portions of requirements in
Division B are listed in tables in Volume 1.
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Preface
Intent Statements
Intent statements explain, in plain language, the basic thinking behind each Code
provision contained in Division B. Intent statements, each of which is unique to the
provision with which it is associated, explain how requirements help to achieve their
attributed objectives and functional statements. Like the objectives, the intent statements
are expressed in terms of risk avoidance and expected performance. They offer insight
into the views of the responsible standing committees on what the Code provisions
are intended to achieve.
The intent statements serve explanatory purposes only and do not form an integral part
of the Code provisions: as such, they are similar in function to appendix notes. Due to
the sheer volume of intent statements—thousands for the NBC alone—they are only
published as a separate electronic document entitled “Supplement to the NBC 2010:
Intent Statements,” which is available on-line at www.nationalcodes.ca.
All this additional information—objectives, functional statements and intent statements—is
intended to facilitate the implementation of the Code in two ways:
• Clarity of intent: The objectives, functional statements and intent statements linked
to a Code requirement clarify the reasoning behind that requirement and facilitate
understanding of what must be done to satisfy that requirement. This added information
may also help avoid disputes between practitioners and officials over these types
of issues.
• Flexibility: The additional information allows for flexibility in Code compliance. A
person seeking to propose a new method or material not described or covered in the
Code will be able to use the added information to understand the expected level of
performance that their alternative solution must achieve to satisfy the Code.
Structure of Objective-Based Codes
The National Building Code (NBC) is organized into three Divisions.
Division A: Compliance, Objectives and Functional Statements
Division A defines the scope of the NBC and presents the objectives that the Code
addresses and the functions the building must perform to help to satisfy those objectives.
Division A cannot be used on its own as a basis for designing and constructing a building,
or for evaluating a building's compliance with the Code.
Division B: Acceptable Solutions
In the 2005 edition of the Code, the commonly used term “requirements” was replaced
with the term “acceptable solutions” to refer to the technical provisions contained in the
Code. The change in terminology reflects the principle that building codes establish an
acceptable level of risk or performance and underlines the fact that a code cannot describe
all possible valid design and construction options. The new term provokes the question
“To whom are these solutions considered acceptable?” As indicated previously in this
Preface, the acceptable solutions represent the minimum level of performance that will
satisfy the NBC's objectives and that is acceptable to an authority that adopts the NBC
into law or regulation.
Division B of the 2010 NBC contains most of the provisions from the 2005 NBC together
with the changes and additions resulting from the normal updating process. Compliance
with these acceptable solutions is deemed to automatically satisfy the linked Division
A objectives and functional statements.
The requirements in Division B—the acceptable solutions—are linked to at least one
objective and functional statement found in Division A. These linkages play an important
role in allowing objective-based codes to accommodate innovation.
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It is expected that the majority of Code users will primarily follow the acceptable solutions
given in Division B and that they will consult Division A only in cases where it may serve
to clarify the application of Division B's requirements to a particular situation or when
they are considering an alternative solution.
Division C: Administrative Provisions
Division C contains administrative provisions relating to the application of the Code.
Many provinces and territories establish their own administrative provisions upon
adopting or adapting the NBC; having all the administrative provisions in one Division
facilitates their customization to suit jurisdictional needs.
Relationship between Division A and Division B
Sentence 1.2.1.1.(1) of Division A is a very important sentence: it is a precise statement of
the relationship between Divisions A and B and is central to the concept of objective-based
codes.
1)
Compliance with this Code shall be achieved by
a) complying with the applicable acceptable solutions in Division B (see
Appendix A), or
b) using alternative solutions that will achieve at least the minimum level of
performance required by Division B in the areas defined by the objectives
and functional statements attributed to the applicable acceptable solutions
(see Appendix A).
Clause (a) makes it clear that the acceptable solutions in Division B are automatically
deemed to satisfy the linked objectives and functional statements of Division A.
Clause (b) makes it clear that alternative solutions can be used in lieu of compliance
with the acceptable solutions. However, to do something different from the acceptable
solutions described in Division B, a builder, designer or building owner must show
that their proposed alternative solution will perform at least as well as the acceptable
solution(s) it is replacing. The objectives and functional statements attributed to the
acceptable solution(s) identify the areas of performance where this equivalence must be
demonstrated.
Additional Information
Numbering System
A consistent numbering system has been used throughout the National Model Codes. The
first number indicates the Part of the Code; the second, the Section in the Part; the third,
the Subsection; and the fourth, the Article in the Subsection. The detailed provisions are
found at the Sentence level (indicated by numbers in brackets), and Sentences may be
broken down into Clauses and Subclauses. This structure is illustrated as follows:
3
Part
3.5.
Section
3.5.2.
Subsection
3.5.2.1.
Article
3.5.2.1.(2)
Sentence
3.5.2.1.(2)(a)
Clause
3.5.2.1.(2)(a)(i)
Subclause
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Preface
Change Indication
Where a technical change or addition has been made relative to the 2005 edition, a vertical
line has been added in the margin next to the affected provision. No change indication
has been provided in cases where provisions have been renumbered or deleted.
Meaning of the words “and” and “or” between the Clauses and Subclauses
of a Sentence
Multiple Clauses and Subclauses are connected by the word “and” or “or” at the end of
the second last Clause or Subclause in the series. Although this connecting word appears
only once, it is meant to apply to all the preceding Clauses or Subclauses within that series.
For example, in a series of five Clauses—a) to e)—in a Code Sentence, the appearance
of the word “and” at the end of Clause d) means that all Clauses in the Sentence are
connected to each other with the word “and.” Similarly, in a series of five Clauses—a) to
e)—in a Code Sentence, the appearance of the word “or” at the end of Clause d) means
that all Clauses in the Sentence are connected to each other with the word “or.”
In all cases, it is important to note that a Clause (and its Subclauses, if any) must always be
read in conjunction with its introductory text appearing at the beginning of the Sentence.
Administration
A separate CCBFC document entitled Administrative Requirements for Use with the
National Building Code of Canada 1985 is also published by the National Research
Council. It is automatically adopted as per Article 2.2.1.1. of Division C if the adopting
authority does not provide other administrative requirements.
Metric Conversion
All values in the NBC are given in metric units. A conversion table of imperial equivalents
for the most common units used in building design and construction is located at the
end of the Code.
Parts in Division B and Professional Disciplines
Division B is organized into Parts that are largely related to disciplines. However, this
does not mean that persons of a certain discipline who are executing the design or
construction of a particular building component can necessarily deal with only one Part
of the Code in isolation since provisions related to that building component may be
found in more than one Part.
Examples:
Provisions that deal with fire safety issues related to heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems
are located in Part 3 of Division B, Fire Protection, Occupant Safety and Accessibility, and not in Part 6,
Heating, Ventilating and Air-conditioning.
Structural requirements related to loads on handrails and grab bars are located in Part 3 of Division B, Fire
Protection, Occupant Safety and Accessibility, while structural requirements related to loads on guards
are located in Part 4, Structural Design.
For this reason, the part-based structure of Division B is not well suited for use as the
basis for allocating responsibilities to different professions or as the basis for contractual
arrangements.
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Commercial Rights to Reproduce the National Building Code
Copyright for the National Building Code is owned by the National Research Council of
Canada (NRC). All rights are reserved. Reproduction by any means of NRC's copyright
material is prohibited without the written consent of NRC. Request for permission to
reproduce the National Building Code must be sent to [email protected], or to the
following address:
Manager
Codes Production and Marketing
Institute for Research in Construction
National Research Council of Canada
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6
Contact Information
The CCBFC welcomes comments and suggestions for improvements to the National Building
Code. Persons interested in requesting a change to an NBC provision should refer to the
guidelines available on the Internet at www.nationalcodes.ca, where additional information is
also presented.
Comments, suggestions and requests for printed copies of Internet material referred to in this
Preface should be sent to:
The Secretary
Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes
Institute for Research in Construction
National Research Council of Canada
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6
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Relationship of the NBC to Standards
Development and Conformity
Assessment
The development of many provisions in the National Building Code (NBC) and the
assessment of conformity to those provisions are supported by several of the member
organizations of Canada's National Standards System (NSS).
The NSS is a federation of accredited organizations concerned with standards development,
certification, testing, inspection, personnel and management systems registration that is
established under the auspices of the Standards Council of Canada Act. Activities of the NSS
are coordinated by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), which has accredited 4 standards
development organizations, 31 certification organizations, 19 registration organizations,
and 328 calibration and testing laboratories.
The SCC is a federal non-profit Crown corporation responsible for the coordination of
voluntary standardization in Canada. It also has responsibilities for Canada's activities in
voluntary international standardization.
Canadian Standards
The NBC contains many references to standards published by accredited standards
development organizations in Canada. As part of the accreditation requirements, these
organizations adhere to the principles of consensus. This generally means substantial
majority agreement of a committee comprising a balance of producer, user and general
interest members, and the consideration of all negative comments. The organizations also
have formal procedures for the second-level review of the technical preparation and balloting
of standards prepared under their auspices. (The Canadian Commission on Building and Fire
Codes follows these same principles of consensus in the operation of its Code development
process.) The following organizations are accredited as standards development organizations
in Canada:
• Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ)
• Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB)
• Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
• Underwriters' Laboratories of Canada (ULC)
Table 1.3.1.2. of Division B lists the standards referenced in the NBC. Standards proposed to
be referenced in the NBC are reviewed to ensure their content is compatible with the Code.
Thereafter, referenced standards are reviewed as needed during each Code cycle. Standards
development organizations are asked to provide information on any changes in the status of
their standards referenced in the NBC—withdrawals, amendments, new editions, etc. This
information is passed on to the CCBFC, its standing committees, the provinces and territories,
and interested stakeholders on particular issues, all of whom are given the opportunity to
identify any problems associated with the changes. These bodies do not necessarily review in
detail the revised standards; rather, the approach relies on the consensus process involved
in the maintenance of the standards and on the extensive knowledge and backgrounds of
committee members, provincial or territorial staff, NRC-IRC staff, and consulted stakeholders
to identify changes in the standards that might create problems in the Code.
Non-Canadian Standards
A number of subject areas for which the Canadian standards development organizations have
not developed standards are covered in the NBC. In these cases, the Code often references
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standards developed by organizations in other countries, such as the American Society for
Testing and Materials International (ASTM) and the National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA). These standards are developed using processes that may differ from those used by
the Canadian standards development organizations; nevertheless, these standards have been
reviewed by the relevant standing committees and found to be acceptable.
Conformity Assessment
The NBC establishes minimum measures, either within its own text or that of referenced
standards. However, the NBC does not deal with the question of who is responsible for
assessing conformity to the measures or how those with this responsibility might carry it
out. This responsibility is usually established by the governing legislation of the adopting
provinces or territories. Provincial or territorial authorities should be consulted to determine
who is responsible for conformity assessment within their jurisdiction.
Those persons responsible for ensuring that a material, appliance, system or equipment meets
the performance requirements of this Code have several means available to assist them. These
means vary from on-site inspection to the use of certification services provided by accredited
third-party organizations. Test reports or mill certificates provided by manufacturers or
suppliers can also assist in the acceptance of products. Engineering reports may be required
for more complex products.
Testing
The accreditation programs of the SCC include one for testing and calibration laboratories.
Almost 400 organizations are accredited, with 68 accredited as capable of reliably testing
building products to specified standards. The test results produced by these organizations
can be used in the evaluation, qualification and certification of building products to
Code provisions.
Certification
Certification is the confirmation by an independent organization that a product or service
meets a requirement. Certification of a product, process, or system entails physical
examination, testing as specified in the appropriate standards, plant examination, and
follow-up unannounced plant inspections. This procedure leads to the issuing of a formal
assurance or declaration, by means of a certification mark or certificate, that the product,
process or system is in full conformity with specified provisions.
In some cases, a product for which no standard exists can be certified using procedures
and criteria developed by the accredited certifying organization and specifically designed
to measure the performance of that product. Certification bodies publish lists of certified
products and companies.
A complete list of accredited certification bodies can be found on SCC's Web site at
www.scc.ca.
Registration
Quality Registration Organizations assess a company's conformance to quality assurance
standards like the International Organization for Standardization ISO 9000.
Evaluation
An evaluation is a written opinion by an independent professional organization that a
product will perform its intended function in a building. An evaluation is very often done
to determine the ability of an innovative product, for which no standards exist, to satisfy
the intent of a Code requirement. Follow-up plant inspections are not normally part of the
evaluation process. Several organizations, including the Canadian Construction Materials
Centre (CCMC), offer such evaluation services.
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Preface
Qualification
The qualification of building products also evaluates the ability of a product to perform its
intended function by verifying that it meets the requirements of a standard. Qualification
normally includes some follow-up plant inspection. Some organizations publish lists of
qualified products that meet the specified requirements. Some organizations qualify
manufacturing and/or testing facilities for building products for compliance with the
Code and relevant standards.
National Building Code of Canada 2010 (incorporating Quebec amendments) Volume 1 xv
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Canadian Commission on Building and
Fire Codes and Standing Committees
Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes
B.E. Clemmensen (Chair)
R. Ferguson
K. Newbert
R. Vincent
C. Fillingham (Vice-Chair)
D. Figley
R. Perreault
(2)J. Walter
(2)R. Bartlett
M. Giroux
(2)D. Popowich
D. Watts
A. Beaumont
H. Griffin
W. Purchase
(2)B. Wyness
A. Borooah
J. Hackett
K. Richardson
(2)P. Boucher
C. Hamelin Lalonde
R. Riffell
(2)J.W. Archer
(3)D. Brezer
R. Hudon
(2)T. Rotgans
D. Bergeron
(1)D. Clancey
(2)G. Humphrey
(2)G. Ruitenberg
R.P. Bowen
(3)T. Cochren
J. Huzar
G. Sereda
(2)M. Fortin
(3)R.J. Cormier
D. Ieroncig
B. Sim
(Deputy Chair)
D. Crawford
M. Kuzyk
G. Stasynec
G. Gosselin
(1)A. Crimi
K. Lee
R. Switzer
(Deputy Chair)
R. DeVall
D. MacKinnon
G. Sykora
(2)A. Gribbon
(1)E. Domingo
J. Marcovecchio
(2)G. Tessier
P. Rizcallah
(3)R. Dubeau
W. McLean
(2)G. Tubrett
(Acting Deputy Chair)
R. Duke
D. Miller
C. Tye
C. Taraschuk
(3)G. Fawcett
L. Nakatsui
J. Vasey
(2)(Acting Deputy Chair)
Standing Committee on Building
and Plumbing Services
K.W. Newbert (Chair)
(5)J.E. Masse
(2)G.D. Stasynec (Chair)
(4)D.S. McDonald
N. Chandra
A.I. Murra
P.T. Chang
D.A. Myers
R.B. Charney
D.A. Pope
P.J. Cook
G.B. Reid
A.R. Dallaway
S.A. Remedios
B.G. Diggens
R. Roberts
I. Donnelly
C.R. Roy
M.G. Doyle
E.M. Sterling
D.C. Hickerty
M. Tomkinson
D. Hill
(2)G. Veltman
D.K.S. Hui
G. Jensen
R.B. Chauhan
(3)A.A. Knapp
D. Green
(1)M. Légaré
Standing Committee on Earthquake
Design
R.H. DeVall (Chair)
T.E. Little
J.L. Humar (Alternate Chair) A. Metten
J.E. Adams
D. Mitchell
D.L. Anderson
C.J. Montgomery
G.M. Atkinson
G.C. Rogers
M. Bruneau
M. Saatcioglu
L. Chouinard
J. Sherstobitoff
W.D.L. Finn
R. Tremblay
A.G. Gillies
A. Wightman
E. Karacabeyli
T. Kokai
C.R. Taraschuk
(1)M. Lemyre
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Standing Committee on Energy
Efficiency in Buildings
K.W. Newbert (Chair)
C. Kahramanoglu
R. Marshall
M.M. Lamanque
(6)(Alternate Chair)
K.W. Lau
D.W. Bailey
D. Mather
(6)D. Bartel
J. Pockar
M. Bayat
A. Pride
S. Bioletti
M. Roy
D. Bourgeois
(6)R. Rymell
(6)L. Boutin
(6)P. Sectakof
R. Burk
(6)M. Slivar
R. Cardinal
P. Thorkelsson
(6)J. Comtois
R. Veerasammy
C. Côté
(6)S. Walkes
(6)L. Dalgleish
W. Wang
B. Darrell
T. White
D. Dessario
K. Wilson
(6)H. Dobbelsteyn
(6)J. Donovan
E. Girgis
(1)F. Genest
H. Knudsen
(1)M. Gonçalves
(6)C. Taraschuk
(1)H. Hayne
P. Tardif
(1)Standing Committee on
Environmental Separation
D. Clancey (Chair)
(5)D.W. Lovell
D.L. Watts (Chair)
(4)T. Mac Leod
(2)J. Baker
(2)R. Ogle
S. Bioletti
M.V. Petrone
(2)W.C. Brown
(2)L. Semko
K.A. Coulter
(2)D. Stones
D. Derome
(2)G.R. Sturgeon
J. Donovan
K. Wilson
(2)D. Inculet
C. Kahramanoglu
F. Lohmann
(3)R.M. Kobrick
(2)M. Zeghal
(1)Standing Committee on Fire
Protection
A. Crimi (Chair)
R. Mercer
M. Anderson
(2)P.K. Neumann
(2)K. Bailey
M. Osburn
(2)P.D. Blackwood
D. Parkinson
(2)R.G. Brown
E. Piecuch
C.F. Campbell
H.J. Pothier
R. Cerminara
G. Robichaud
(2)R. Cheung
B.G. Schultz
G. Donahoe
(2)J.A. Scott
R.N. Douglas
(2)E.A. Sopeju
R. Florio
(2)A. St-Michel
(2)G.S. Frater
R. Swart
H.A. Grisack
(2)A. Tabet
R. Guay
(2)I. Van Zeeland
K. Knox
J. Zorko
M. Kohli
L. Lanthier
(2)M. Fortin
(1)N. Lessard
C.H. Fréchette
(3)H.A. Locke
A. Laroche
(1)C.A. MacDonald
(2)G. Morinville
(3)R.J. McGrath
I. Oleszkiewicz
(3)R.A. McPhee
P. Rizcallah
(1)Standing Committee on Hazardous
Materials and Activities
R.J. Bartlett (Chair)
(5)R. Molina
(2)G. Fawcett (Chair)
(4)P.K. Neumann
(2)M. Brockmann
M. Ng
P. Chamberland
P. Paradis
(2)D. Edgecombe
P. Richards
E.G. Fernandes
G. Robichaud
A. Fontaine
(2)W.P. Rodger
R.P.R. Gaade
J.F. Selann
M. Gagné
R.I. Stephenson
H. Genest
A. Thériault
T. Hofileña
P.H. Thorkelsson
M. Inglis
(2)B. Trussler
J.P. Kallungal
(2)B. Wright
J.D. Kieffer
(2)E. La Rocque
M. Fortin
(1)P. Lefebvre
(2)C.H. Fréchette
(3)R. Ligenza
(2)A. Laroche
(1)L.A. MacKinnon
(2)G. Morinville
(3)A. MacLellan-Bonnell
I. Oleszkiewicz
(3)K. McEown
P. Rizcallah
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Preface
Standing Committee on Housing
and Small Buildings
T. Cochren (Chair)
D. Johnston
P. Aitchison
R. Kadulski
A. Amir
P. Lepper
J.W. Archer
(2)S. Leroux
(2)A.L. Bortolussi
R. Lind
H.W. Bromberg
M. Lio
J. Carroll
(7)R. Maling
A. Chamard
(2)B. Maltby
E. Chant
(2)R. Monsour
Y.H. Chui
B. Nantel
J.R. Corbeil
(2)N. Perozzo
B. Craig
T. Pringle
S.L. Crowell
W. Purchase
(2)C. Dagenais
L. Ricard
(2)L. De Meo
(2)C.C. Ridsdale
(2)R. Di Gaetano
M. Stiller
S. Dueck
R.S. Wilson
R. Dupuis
J.B. Eames
(2)N. Belrechid
(1)L. Gareau
G.A. Chown
(3)L. Hasan
F. Lohmann
(1)J. Hockman
M. Mihailovic
(1)K. Hykawy
Standing Committee on
Structural Design
R.F. Riffell (Chair)
D. Mitchell
M. Allen
G.A. Nanji
D. Beaulieu
J. Rakocevic
D.E. Becker
M. Rosseker
P.K.S. Chan
R. Schuster
R.H. DeVall
P.K.W. Shek
R.G. Drysdale
N. Sobey
(7)S. Gagnon
A.J. Steen
T.R. Grimshaw
R.B. Vincent
P.A. Irwin
G.C. Williams
J.C. Jofriet
C.R. Wilson
(7)C. Marsh
A.F. Wong
R.J. McGrath
R.C. Merchant
C.R. Taraschuk
(1)Standing Committee on Use and
Egress
G.J. Sereda (Chair)
(5)R.B. Mitchell
(2)E.A. Domingo (Chair)
(4)D.B. Nauss
J.W. Archer
J.D. Redmond
E.M. Beck
L.A. Ringaert
(2)S. Bourdeau
J.M. Rubes
K. Calder
C. Salvian
P. Caron
I. Sterling
(2)A.N. Cavers
A. Tabet
(2)R. Chamberland
(2)R.R. Thompson
G. Ens
(2)B. Topping
B.R. Everton
D.E. Weber
R. Fraser
R. Weber
(2)J. Goad
A. Weinstein
J.T. Gryffyn
(2)L.G. Hamre
M. Fortin
(1)W.M. Johnston
(2)C.H. Fréchette
(3)P. Lefebvre
A. Laroche
(1)I.C. MacDonald
G. Morinville
(3)K. McEwen
(2)I. Oleszkiewicz
(3)S.R. Michaud
(2)P. Rizcallah
(1)CCBFC Technical Translation
Verification Committee
G. Harvey (Chair)
I. Wagner
A. Gobeil
B. Lagueux
J.-P. Perreault
M.-C. Bédard
(1)M.C. Ratté
N. Dachdjian
(3)G.L. Titley
G. Mougeot-Lemay
(1) (1) NRC-IRC staff who provided assistance to theCommittee.
(2) Term completed during the preparation of the 2010
Code.
(3) NRC-IRC staff whose involvement with the Committee
ended during the preparation of the 2010 Code.
(4) Chair term commenced during the preparation of the
2010 Code.
(5) Chair term ended during the preparation of the 2010
Code.
(6) Term completed during the preparation of the 2012
revisions.
(7) Deceased.
National Building Code of Canada 2010 (incorporating Quebec amendments) Volume 1 xix
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Revisions and Errata Adopted by Quebec
Issued by the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes
and adopted by Quebec
The Change History table adopted by Quebec that follows describes revisions, errata and
editorial updates that apply to the National Building Code of Canada 2010:
• Revisions are changes deemed urgent that have been approved by the Canadian
Commission on Building and Fire Codes.
• Errata are corrections to existing text.
• Editorial updates are provided for information purposes only.
Code pages containing revisions and/or errata are identified with the words “Amended Page”
in the footer; pages with editorial updates and index pages with changes are not flagged.
Contact your local authority having jurisdiction to find out if these revisions and errata
apply in your province or territory.
Change History Adopted by Quebec — National Building Code of Canada 2010
Division Code Reference Change Date
(Y-M-D) Description of Change Preface n/a editorial
update 2012-12-21
Text referring to application statements was deleted as these statements are no longer being published
A 2.1.1.2.(1) revision 2012-12-21 Sentence was revised to read “Except as provided in Sentences (2) to (6), ...” A 2.1.1.2.(6) revision 2012-12-21 Sentence was added
A 2.2.1.1.(1) revision 2012-12-21 Objective OE, Environment, and sub-objectives OE1, Resources, and OE1.1, excessive use of energy, were added
A 3.1.1.2.(1) revision 2012-12-21 Sentence was revised to read “Except as provided in Sentences (2) to (4), ...” A 3.2.1.1.(1) revision 2012-12-21 Functional Statement F98 was added
B 1.3.1.1.(1) revision 2013-10-31 Date stated in Sentence was revised to read “30 June 2012”
B Table 1.3.1.2. revision 2012-12-21 ASTM F 1667-05 was added as a result of revisions to Sentences 9.23.3.1.(1), 9.26.2.2.(1) and 9.29.5.6.(1)
B Table 1.3.1.2. revision 2013-10-31 Document references were updated as applicable to reflect more recent editions publishedas of June 30, 2012 B 1.3.2.1.(1) editorialupdate 2012-12-21 The following abbreviation and applicable address was added: AHRI; the address for TPICwas updated B 3.2.3.4.(1) erratum 2012-12-21 Change bar was added
B 3.2.4.22.(10) erratum 2012-12-21 Sentence was corrected to read “... required by Sentence (7) ..” B 3.4.7.7.(1) erratum 2012-12-21 Sentence was corrected to read “... Articles 3.4.6.3. and 3.4.6.4.” B 4.1.7.1.(5) erratum 2012-12-21
Clause (b) was corrected to read “... or 20 times the height of the building, whichever is greater ...”
Clause (c) was corrected to read “... or 20 times the height of the building from a change in terrain conditions ...”
B 5.2.2.1.(2) revision 2012-12-21 Sentence was revised to read “... Except as provided in Article 4.1.8.18., the structural loads ...”
National Building Code of Canada 2010 (incorporating Quebec amendments) Volume 1 xxi
