Commercial building codes lack strong wildfire-management provisions, indoor air quality controls, says expert

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The more fire we see, the more it’s going to get into communities and the more businesses are going to be affected. We’re going to see businesses directly hit by wildfires and operations interrupted,” he says.

Against this backdrop, “there is a huge regulatory gap that needs to be addressed,” Mr. McGillivray says, adding that there are no specific provisions in residential or commercial building codes relating to wildfires.

“There isn’t even any guidance on how small businesses can reduce the risk of wildfires,” he says, though the building code does require that engineers attest that a building designed by an engineer or architect conforms to design standards, and that all potential hazards, such as tornadoes, floods or fires, have been considered.

In Ontario, municipal bylaws and the site-control process that examines design and technical aspects of a proposed development can address wildfire threats at the planning stage of construction, says Victoria Podbielski, press secretary for Ontario Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark.

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