Compliance – Who’s Responsible for Fire & Life Safety?

Maintaining an up-to-date fire and life safety program is essential for protecting lives and property. However, compliance with fire codes involves multiple organizations, contractors, and service providers, making it difficult to determine who is ultimately responsible when issues arise. Here’s a breakdown of key roles and responsibilities.

Understanding Fire Code Compliance

At the Federal level the National Fire Code of Canada (NFC) is developed by the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC) and published by the National Research Council (NRC). It regulates construction, building use, fire hazards, and protection measures to ensure safety.

At the provincial level, the Ontario Fire Code—a regulation under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act—works alongside the Ontario Building Code to set minimum fire safety requirements.

The Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office provides guidance on applying and enforcing the Ontario Fire Code and manages an appeals process for compliance disputes.

At the municipal level, Toronto Fire Services and other local fire departments conduct compliance inspections. They have the authority to issue Notices of Violation/Orders when buildings fail to meet fire safety standards as prescribed in the Ontario Fire Code.

Who is Responsible for Compliance?

When fire safety systems are installed, and buildings are constructed according to the Building Code property owners may assume that the contractor, service provider, or product manufacturer is responsible for ensuring compliance. However, the ultimate responsibility falls on the property owner.

Fire inspections occur regularly, with different mandates under review at different times. If a Notice of Violation/Order is issued, property owners must resolve the issue within a set timeframe before a follow-up inspection. Additionally, non-compliance may result in costly re-inspection fees and legal action.

How to Ensure Compliance

To maintain compliance with the Ontario Fire Code, property owners and managers should regularly review their Inspection, Testing & Maintenance (ITM) Program and ask the following questions:

• Are maintenance records up to date?
• Are you aware of recent Fire Code updates?
• Are you informed about current compliance mandates?
• Do you have managers overseeing fire and life safety systems?
• Is there a system in place for ongoing fire safety monitoring?
• Do you conduct regular audits to verify compliance?

If you struggle to answer any of these questions, it may be time to reassess your fire and life safety management strategy. Keep in mind 3rd party contractors hired by the owner to do fire alarm system, sprinkler system, etc. inspections are not the only requirements associated with compliance of the Fire Code.

Stay ahead of fire safety regulations—contact us today to safeguard your building and occupants.