The 2026 Ontario Fire Code Compendium: O. Reg. 87/25 and the New Compliance Reality
By Engineering Content Team
If you are still referencing the 2015 or even the 2020 versions of the National Fire Code in your Ontario projects without considering provincial amendments, your designs are now officially at risk of non-compliance. As of January 1, 2026, the regulatory landscape for fire safety engineering in Ontario has shifted significantly. The grace period for "business as usual" is over.
The release of the 2026 Fire Code Compendium (Publication #301913) by the Office of the Fire Marshal marks the definitive arrival of these changes. This document is the codification of O. Reg. 87/25, a sweeping set of amendments to O. Reg. 213/07 that harmonizes Ontario's standards with the 2020 National Fire Code of Canada while introducing rigorous new maintenance and retrofit requirements. For Professional Engineers, the risk isn't just a failed inspection—it is professional liability for negligence in life safety design.
The "What": A New Baseline for 2026
The 2026 Fire Code Compendium is now the single source of truth for fire safety in the province. Available through Publications Ontario, this document consolidates the existing Fire Code (O. Reg. 213/07) with all amendments effective up to January 1, 2026.
The headline update is the integration of O. Reg. 87/25, filed in June 2025. This regulation aligns Ontario with the 2020 National Fire Code of Canada, closing the gap between provincial and national standards. However, the amendments go beyond simple harmonization. They introduce stricter technical standards for fire alarm testing, expanded requirements for carbon monoxide detection, and specific new codes for farm buildings and hazardous extraction operations.
The "So What": Engineering Implications of O. Reg. 87/25
For engineers, property managers, and building owners, the "So What" lies in the operational details. The days of generic inspection checklists and grandfathered safety plans are ending. Here is how the new Compendium impacts your workflow:
1. Mandatory Adoption of CAN/ULC-S536:2019
Perhaps the most operational change is the formal adoption of CAN/ULC-S536:2019 (Inspection and Testing of Fire Alarm Systems) and CAN/ULC-S537:2019 (Verification of Fire Alarm Systems).
- The Impact: You can no longer accept custom or abridged inspection checklists from contractors. The new code mandates the use of standardized ULC report forms.
- The Technical Shift: Battery testing now requires functional load testing with recorded measurements—simple voltage checks are insufficient. Furthermore, deficiencies must now be explicitly separated from "recommendations" in reports, creating a clear, legal obligation for owners to rectify non-compliant items immediately.
2. Expanded Carbon Monoxide (CO) Requirements
The amendments significantly expand CO alarm requirements in existing residential and care occupancies.
- The Change: Alarms are now required on every storey of a home, including basements and floors without bedrooms, not just near sleeping areas. This applies to existing detached houses, semi-detached houses, and townhouses.
- The Retrofit Risk: For multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) and care facilities, this triggers a need for immediate audits of existing alarm coverage to ensure compliance with the new density requirements.
3. New Regulations for Farm Buildings
O. Reg. 87/25 introduces specific requirements for farm buildings, particularly those with an occupant load of not more than one person per 40 m² during normal use.
- Large Farm Buildings: Farm buildings exceeding 600 m² in building area or 3 storeys in height must now comply with Part 2 and Part 6 of Division B if constructed on or after January 1, 2025.
- Hazardous Extraction: Specific provisions now target hazardous extraction operations involving cannabis within farm buildings, mandating strict compliance with fire separation and ventilation standards.
4. Integrated Systems Testing (CAN/ULC-S1001)
The Compendium reinforces the requirement for Integrated Systems Testing (IST) in accordance with CAN/ULC-S1001. As buildings become more complex, the interdependency of life safety systems (fire alarms, sprinklers, elevator recall, smoke control) must be verified as a whole. Engineers must ensure that commissioning plans for 2026 projects explicitly include S1001 testing protocols.
The "Now What": Your Action Plan
To mitigate liability and ensure your designs—and your clients' buildings—survive the scrutiny of the Fire Marshal, take these immediate steps:
- Secure the Compendium: Stop using outdated PDFs. Purchase or download the official 2026 Fire Code Compendium (Pub #301913) from Publications Ontario. This is your new legal baseline.
- Audit Maintenance Contracts: Review all fire protection maintenance contracts. Ensure vendors are contractually obligated to use CAN/ULC-S536:2019 compliant forms and testing methods. If they are using old checklists, your building is not code-compliant.
- Review Residential Retrofits: If you manage or consult on MURBs or care facilities, initiate a CO alarm audit immediately to meet the "every storey" requirement.
- Update Commissioning Specs: For all active construction projects, verify that Division 28 specifications reference the 2019 editions of ULC-S536 and S537, and include S1001 integration testing.
Closing the Knowledge Gap
Navigating O. Reg. 87/25 requires more than a cursory read of the regulations. The nuances of the new battery load testing and farm building separations are technical and specific.
Engineers are encouraged to consult the official Fire Code Supplement FCS-1 and attend accredited professional development sessions offered by industry associations to fully understand these technical updates. Don't wait for a compliance order to learn the new rules.