B.C. fire chiefs say allowing fewer stairwells in residential buildings is dangerous
B.C. fire chiefs are fighting a new provincial rule that halves the number of fire escapes required in some multi-unit residential buildings.
On Thursday, Larry Thomas, president of the Greater Vancouver Fire Chiefs Association, will speak to the Metro Vancouver Regional District mayors committee to outline the association’s case against the new regulation, which reduces the number of indoor fire escape stairwells needed in low-rise condos from two to one.
The Fire Chiefs Association of B.C. is also lobbying Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon to back away from the change to the B.C. Building Code.
Kahlon said the change, which applies to developments six storeys and under, is intended to make it easier to build new housing projects on smaller lots, and include larger units within those buildings.
“With people struggling to find housing that meets their needs, we have to find ways to innovate and build differently,” he said in a news release.
According to a joint statement from the Fire Chiefs Association of B.C. and the B.C. Professional Fire Fighters Association, the Aug. 29 change to the building code “allows residential multiunit dwellings to reduce their minimum egress stairways down to a single stairway for up to six storeys.
“This change was made unilaterally and made the B.C. Building Code incongruent with the intent of a harmonized code with the National Building Code,” the statement read. “This change also does not take into account numerous concerns raised by public safety and fire service professional organizations.”
The groups say that nine per cent of fires in buildings of six or fewer storeys start in stairwells, and that 40 per cent of fire safety systems in apartment buildings are not compliant with fire codes, making fire escapes critical.
They are asking the provincial government to review the new rule, saying any changes to stairway rules be made through national building codes.
“Our associations are requesting that these changes be reversed or paused, and we strongly recommend that this be deferred to the National Building Code revision process with the involvement of the National Research Council,” the statement says.
The change to B.C.’s code is part of a series of laws introduced by the provincial government to increase B.C.’s housing supply, particularly multi-unit developments for families. Other measures include forcing municipalities to change zoning regulations and a crackdown on short-term rentals.
Kahlon said with the code change, all new developments built with one stairwell will require sprinklers, smokemanagement systems and wider stairwells.
“By adjusting B.C.’s building code to allow single egress stair buildings, we cannot only boost housing supply, but also create more options for people and families who need larger layouts and more bedrooms.”