Fire Safety Plans & Approvals
Most buildings beyond a house — apartments, offices, retail, industrial, assembly and care occupancies — are required by their provincial fire code to have a fire safety plan approved by the local fire department, kept on site, reviewed regularly and actually implemented through trained staff. Many buildings either have none, or a decades-old binder nobody has opened.
What a compliant plan contains
Emergency procedures for occupants and staff, the audibility and control features of the alarm system, designated supervisory staff and their training, fire drill frequency, maintenance schedules for every fire protection system in the building, schematic drawings, and provisions for occupants requiring assistance. It must reflect the building as it exists — renovations, use changes and staffing changes all trigger updates.
Approval and implementation
The plan is submitted to the fire department having jurisdiction for approval, and the approved copy kept at the premises — typically at the annunciator or a fire safety plan box. Approval is not the end: the code requires drills (from annual in offices to monthly in care occupancies), staff instruction, and keeping the plan current with at least annual review.
Where owners get caught
Plan deficiencies surface after incidents and during routine inspections — a missing plan is an immediate order, and an inaccurate one (wrong staff, wrong systems, outdated drawings) can be worse than none in litigation after a fire.
How the process works
- Send us the building profile — occupancy, storeys, systems — and any existing plan.
- A fire safety planning consultant drafts or updates the plan to your province’s template.
- Drawings are produced or updated from a site walk-through.
- The plan is submitted to your fire department and revised to approval.
- Optional: warden training, drill facilitation and the annual review cycle.
Who regulates this in each province
| Province / Territory | Governing code | Key authority |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Ontario Fire Code (O. Reg. 213/07) | the Office of the Fire Marshal and your local fire service |
| Quebec | Quebec Safety Code (Chapter VIII, Building) | Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) |
| British Columbia | BC Fire Code | the provincial fire marshal’s office and your local fire service |
| Alberta | National Fire Code (Alberta Edition) | the provincial fire marshal’s office and your local fire service |
| Manitoba | Manitoba Fire Code | the provincial fire marshal’s office and your local fire service |
| Saskatchewan | National Fire Code as adopted in Saskatchewan | the provincial fire marshal’s office and your local fire service |
| Nova Scotia | Nova Scotia Fire Safety Regulations | the provincial fire marshal’s office and your local fire service |
| New Brunswick | National Fire Code as adopted by the Office of the Fire Marshal | the provincial fire marshal’s office and your local fire service |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Fire Protection Services Act and adopted National Fire Code | the provincial fire marshal’s office and your local fire service |
| Prince Edward Island | Fire Prevention Act and adopted National Fire Code | the provincial fire marshal’s office and your local fire service |
| Yukon | National Fire Code as enforced by the Yukon Fire Marshal | the provincial fire marshal’s office and your local fire service |
| Northwest Territories | National Fire Code under the Fire Prevention Act | the provincial fire marshal’s office and your local fire service |
| Nunavut | National Fire Code under the Fire Safety Act | the provincial fire marshal’s office and your local fire service |
Frequently asked questions
Does my six-unit apartment building need a fire safety plan?
In most provinces, yes — residential buildings above a small threshold require one. Check with us; the threshold varies, but enforcement against small landlords is common because so few comply.
How long does approval take?
Typically 2–8 weeks depending on the fire department’s queue and revision rounds. Straightforward buildings with clean drawings approve fastest.
What is a fire safety plan box?
A locked box near the main entrance holding the approved plan and keys/fobs for fire department use. Several municipalities mandate them for larger buildings.
We have a plan from 2009. Is that a problem?
Almost certainly — staffing, systems and code expectations have changed. An outdated approved plan is a deficiency, and updating is far cheaper than starting from scratch.
Fire Safety Plans & Approvals by city
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Learn more →Get a fast, free compliance quote
Tell us what you need for fire safety plans & approvals — we reply within one business day with the applicable requirements and a clear price.