Ontario Consultation on Reducing Building Code Burden Open Until August 14, 2026

Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) wants your input on opportunities to simplify and improve the Ontario Building Code. HRAI is encouraging HVACR contractors, manufacturers, wholesalers, engineers, designers and other industry professionals to participate. 

The consultation wants to know which parts of the Building Code are outdated, duplicative, unclear, overly prescriptive or unnecessarily difficult to apply. Its objectives include reducing avoidable costs, delays, complexity and administrative burden while maintaining health, safety, accessibility, energy efficiency and building-performance outcomes. 

An independent and temporary Building Code Short-Term Advisory Body will review the submissions and provide recommendations to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. The review may also consider opportunities to improve alignment with the National Construction Codes, reduce barriers to innovation and interprovincial trade, and make Code requirements easier to interpret and apply consistently. 

For Ontario’s HVACR sector, this is an important opportunity to identify Code requirements or implementation practices that:

  • produce inconsistent interpretations between municipalities or building officials; 
  • duplicate requirements found in standards, regulations or other approval processes; 
  • create unnecessary design, permitting, documentation or inspection delays; 
  • impede the use of newer HVACR technologies, equipment or installation methods; 
  • make alternative solutions unnecessarily difficult or costly; 
  • create barriers to interprovincial trade or the use of nationally certified equipment; 
  • are unclear or outdated in relation to current refrigerants, heat pumps, controls, ventilation systems or high-performance building technologies; or 
  • could be simplified without compromising safety, energy efficiency or building performance. 

 

The consultation also specifically asks whether Ontario should enhance or simplify its energy-efficiency requirements and whether the province should consider the tiered energy-performance framework and compliance paths used in the current National Construction Codes. 

Comments should be specific and grounded in practical experience. Where possible, respondents should identify the relevant Code provision or topic, explain how the problem arises, describe who is affected, provide examples of resulting costs or delays, and recommend a workable solution. Participants do not need to answer every question in the consultation paper. 

Two ways to participate 

1. Share your recommendations with HRAI 

HRAI wants to hear from members about Code provisions, interpretations or administrative practices that could be improved. Please be prepared to share the relevant clauses and language in the Code, a description of the problem, practical examples and your recommended changes through the survey available at this link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/PvATxirCmL. You can also contact HRAI’s Directory of Regulatory Affairs, Perry Chao at pchao@hrai.ca. Please complete the survey or submit your comments to HRAI by August 10, 2026. 

2. Submit comments directly to Ontario 

Review the consultation notice and submit comments through the Environmental Registry of Ontario. Written comments may also be sent to buildingcode.advisorybody@ontario.ca. 

The deadline is 11:59 p.m. on August 14, 2026. 

Member feedback will help HRAI identify recurring industry concerns and develop recommendations that reflect the practical experience of Ontario’s HVACR sector. 

This consultation provides a valuable opportunity to improve the clarity, consistency and usability of Ontario’s Building Code. HVACR professionals who work with the Code every day are well placed to identify where meaningful changes could reduce unnecessary burden while continuing to protect safety, efficiency and performance.

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