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Building chapter from the Safety Code

Compliance with the applicable standards according to the year of construction

You must ensure that your building is compliant with the applicable standards, depending on its year of construction or alteration. These standards aim at the safety, the health or the protection of the buildings against fire and structural damages.

The standards of the Building chapter of the Safety Code apply in all the following cases:

  • The building is a new construction.
  • The building you become the owner of has the same use than at the time of its construction.
  • The present use of the building arises out of an alteration (for example, an office building having been converted in a rooming house).
  • The present use of the building arises out of a change of clients (for example, a senior’s residence intended for autonomous clients, converted into a senior’s residence intended for clients demanding assistance for eating, dressing up, etc.).

The applicable regulation

The applicable regulation varies according to the year of the construction or alteration of the building. It is recommended to consult an architect or an engineer in order to ensure the compliance of the building. Depending on its year of construction or alteration, the standard applicable is the one indicated in Table 1.

Table 1: The applicable regulation according to year of construction or alteration of the building
PeriodApplicable regulation
Before December 1st, 1976 The Regulation respecting safety in public buildings
From December 1st, 1976 to May 24, 1984The Quebec Building Code
From May 25, 1984 to July 17, 1986 The National Building Code of Canada, 1980
From July 18, 1986 to November 10, 1993 The National Building Code of Canada, 1985
From November 11, 1993 to November 6, 2000The National Building Code of Canada, 1990
From November 7, 2000 to May 16, 2008 The Quebec Construction Code, Building chapter (National Building Code, 1995, amended for the province of Quebec)
From May 17, 2008 to June 14, 2015The Quebec Construction Code, Building chapter (National Building Code, 2005, amended for the province of Quebec)
From June 15, 2015 to todayThe Quebec Construction Code, Building chapter (National Building Code, 2010, amended for the province of Quebec)

More stringent standards for certain types of buildings

Do consider the standards of your municipality!

Your municipality could enact more stringent standards for the buildings located on its territory.

As per the Regulation to improve building safety, the private seniors’ residences, residential occupancies, health care occupancies and residential board and care occupancies are subject to higher standards than the ones in effect at the time of the construction or alteration of the building.

Take further note that your municipality could enact more stringent standards for the buildings which are located on its territory. We advise to get informed in this regard.

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