Ontario Building Code 2024 May 2026

2024 Ontario Building Code (OBC) was filed on April 10, 2024, and came into effect on January 1, 2025 . It consists of the 2020 National Building Code of Canada combined with the

• Municipalities: training for inspectors and planners, updated permit forms and checklists, potential need for additional resourcing for blower-door testing oversight and new technical reviews.
• Designers and engineers: adoption of updated calculation methods, early-stage coordination for energy modelling, accessibility planning, and fire protection integration.
• Builders and contractors: new construction sequencing to meet airtightness and envelope details, documentation for compliance paths, and possible increased upfront costs offset by lifecycle savings.
• Owners and developers: evaluation of lifecycle cost trade-offs for higher-performance envelopes and electrification-ready systems, potential incentives or programs to offset increased capital costs.

However, based on public consultations and drafts proposed by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH), key anticipated features of a 2024 edition (if adopted) likely include: ontario building code 2024

Key objectives

• Protect the public’s health and safety.
• Provide structural sufficiency and fire safety.
• Ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities.
• Improve energy performance and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Support durability and serviceability of building components.
• Streamline compliance to support housing supply.

• Attics: Minimum R-60 (up from R-50).
• Exterior above-grade walls: Minimum R-22 effective (requiring continuous insulation or advanced framing techniques).
• Basement walls: Minimum R-20 continuous insulation.