The new National Construction Codes and new Ontario Building Code will come into effect on January 1, 2025.

Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness is predicting that the new OBC will not affect most farm constructions. Canadian Farm Builders Association (CFBA) suggests the new OBC may result in a -10% cost to material and construction where prefabrication and/or site and design parameters are favourable, and as much as a +35% cost to material and construction in projects with unfavourable site and design parameters.

Design costs and drafting time will not be affected for some small farm buildings that can be designed in a way that exempts them from the new OBC. Design costs and drafting time for structures that fall under the new building code may temporarily increase due to lack of familiarity with the new OBC, but these times should return to normal once staff gains familiarity.

In the immediate future, there may be a slow down in the issuing of building permits as staff work to become familiar with the new code. An increase in building permit fees is not expected, but fees are at the discretion of each municipality as they react to the new code.

OFA advocacy on this issue

Earlier this year, OFA provided comments on the proposed change to the 2025 National Construction Codes relating to Farm Buildings to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes.

OFA generally supported the proposed change to address safety precautions within farm buildings; clarity and consistent interpretation and application of construction and building requirements are paramount to a thriving agri-food sector in Ontario.

Many of the comments submitted by OFA and commodity groups have been factored into the new OBC. For example, the proposed code required relatively low windowsills, but livestock groups noted that farm animals may attempt to use those windows as an exit, so the OBC was updated with a special exemption to allow relatively tall windowsills in livestock buildings.

OFA resources

OFA submitted several letters over the last year for building code consultations, hosted a lunch and learn on fire protection and farm insurance, and updated the battery storage fact sheet which touches on the building code. These can be found here:

• OFA submission regarding proposed change to the 2025 National Construction Codes relating to Farm Buildings (2024-JAN-05)
• OFA submission to the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) regarding the proposed long-term procurement plan to acquire energy and capacity to meet electricity needs (2024-JAN-17)
• OFA submission to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing regarding the Proposed Changes to the Ontario Fire Code (2024-FEB-29)
• OFA submission regarding the 2025 National Construction Codes to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (2024-JUL-30)
• Lunch & Learn webinar – Fire Protection and Farm Insurance (2024-OCT-18)
• Battery Energy Storage System Recommendations (2024-SEP-24)

Additional resources outside OFA:

• Ontario’s general “about the new building code” webpage (updated: 2024-JUL-04)
• The MMAH has webinars hosted online about the 2024 Building Code; you have to provide your personal information to access them though (updated: 2024-JUL-10)
• 2024 Ontario Building Code Technical Bulletins (updated: 2024-JUL)
• Canadian Farm Builders Association has released two slide decks from their seminar on the building code: Deck 1 and Deck 2