Manitoba announces changes to building and fire codes

The province of Manitoba has announced changes to the provincial building and fire codes, such as requiring sprinklers in new and existing care facilities.

Manitoba Labour and Immigration Minister Erna Braun, minister responsible for the Office of the Fire Commissioner, announced the changes on Tuesday, following recommendations from the Fire Safety Task Force. “Implementing these recommendations will strengthen the level of fire and life-safety protection in new and existing residential care facilities, personal care homes, hospitals and health centres,” she said in a press release.

Changes to the Manitoba Fire Code will require automatic sprinkler systems to be installed in all hospitals, licensed personal care homes and residential care facilities in Manitoba by Jan. 1, 2026. Smaller residential care facilities of four clients or less may be exempt, depending on the results of a risk assessment, Braun added.

Formed in early 2014 following a fire at a seniors’ residence in L’Isle-Verte, Que., the Fire Safety Task Force looked at a range of fire and life safety systems and activities, including fire protection and early warning systems, code enforcement and inspections, as well as education and prevention. The task force included representatives from the Office of the Fire Commissioner, the Manitoba Building Standards Board, the Manitoba Association of Fire Chiefs, frontline fire services, regional health authorities and several Manitoba government departments.

Related: No criminal charges from fatal L’Isle-Verte, Quebec seniors’ residence fire

The press release said that the province has already begun or completed work on task force recommendations such as:

• requiring sprinklers in new residential care facilities for children and adults;

• requiring sprinklers in all existing treatment and care facilities;

• making additional training available to local authorities;

• ensuring local fire inspectors adopt a consistent approach to fire safety inspections;

• increasing public awareness about the importance of fire safety; and

• providing additional resources to the Office of the Fire Commissioner and local fire authorities to support fire protection planning, inspections and reporting.

The minister said that changes to the Manitoba Building Code will affect new construction, including existing buildings undergoing alteration or change of use, while changes to the Manitoba Fire Code will affect new and existing buildings.

Almost 70 per cent of healthcare and personal care home facilities in Manitoba already have full or partial sprinkler systems in place, and an additional 24 projects are currently underway, the release noted.

The province has already committed $7 million for sprinkler retrofits and other fire safety measures over the next year in hospitals and health facilities across the province. In addition, the province will be investing approximately $2 million to work with fire safety experts to assess 108 non-profit personal care homes and 76 hospitals and health centres in Manitoba to develop a 10-year plan for implementation. The review will determine if current systems provide appropriate protection and look at different options to guide future investments in fire safety and sprinkler systems, the release said.

Finally, the Office of the Fire Commissioner will take on a further review of fire and life-safety requirements for community living facilities and residential seniors homes not licensed as personal care homes.