Why do I need a Fire Safety Plan in Ontario?

If you own or manage a building with a fire alarm system in Ontario, you are legally required to have an approved Fire Safety Plan under the Ontario Fire Code (O. Reg. 213/07), Section 2.8. This applies to apartment and condo buildings, commercial offices, retail, restaurants, and warehouses across Toronto, Mississauga, Markham, Vaughan, and Etobicoke. Without an approved plan on site, you risk fire department orders, fines, and delays getting occupancy.

Which buildings actually need a Fire Safety Plan?

The Ontario Fire Code requires a Fire Safety Plan for most buildings with a fire alarm system, plus all assembly occupancies such as restaurants and banquet halls, care occupancies such as retirement and long term care homes, high buildings, and many industrial and storage occupancies. If you are not sure where your building in the GTA falls, send us the details and we will confirm in plain language, at no cost.

What is changing with Ontario fire safety requirements in 2026?

Ontario updates the Fire Code on a regular cycle, and recent changes, including O. Reg. 87/25, mean a plan that was approved a few years ago may no longer meet current requirements. Enforcement is tightening across the GTA at the same time. We review your existing Fire Safety Plan against the current Ontario Fire Code, flag anything out of date, and bring it back into compliance before it becomes a problem with the fire department.

How long does it take to get a Fire Safety Plan approved?

It depends on the size and complexity of your building and your local fire department's review queue, but we are built for speed. Because we know exactly what Toronto Fire Services, Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services, and the other GTA departments look for, our submissions rarely come back for corrections. That is what saves you the weeks of back and forth most owners run into.

Do I need a Fire Safety Plan for a construction or demolition project?

Yes. The Ontario Fire Code (Part 5) requires fire safety measures and a plan for construction and demolition sites before and during the work. We create site specific plans covering fire crew access, hot work controls, standpipe provisions, and muster points for projects across Toronto, Etobicoke, Vaughan, and the wider GTA.

How often do I need to review my Fire Safety Plan?

The Ontario Fire Code requires your plan to be reviewed at least once every 12 months, and updated right away whenever you renovate, change the building's use, or change the layout. We offer annual review packages for property managers and condo boards across the GTA, so your plans never lapse and you are not scrambling the week before an inspection.

We are applying for an AGCO liquor licence. What fire requirements apply?

Before the AGCO issues a liquor licence, your municipality has to confirm your space is safe, and fire approval is a core part of that sign off. For restaurants and bars in Toronto, Mississauga, Markham, and across the GTA, that usually means an approved Fire Safety Plan, a posted occupant load, clear exiting, and confirmation your fire alarm and suppression systems are in good standing. We prepare the documents and handle the fire side so your licence is not held up.

I manage multiple buildings. Can you handle a whole portfolio?

Yes, this is a big part of what we do. Property managers carry fire safety responsibility across a portfolio, where every building has its own plan, its own annual review date, and its own fire department jurisdiction. We standardize your plans, track every review date, and give you one point of contact for all of your sites across Toronto and the GTA, so nothing slips through the cracks.

What areas do you serve?

We are based in the Greater Toronto Area and serve building owners and managers across Toronto (Downtown, North York, Scarborough, and Etobicoke), Peel (Mississauga and Brampton), York Region (Markham, Vaughan, and Richmond Hill), and the wider GTA and Southern Ontario.

What is included in your Fire Safety Plan package?

Our Ontario Fire Safety Plan package is built to meet the Ontario Fire Code and your local fire department's requirements. You receive: an on site audit of your fire alarm, sprinkler, extinguisher, and exit systems; a custom site specific plan written to current Ontario Fire Code standards, never a generic template; clear building diagrams showing exits, equipment, and shut offs; full fire department submission and communication with the Chief Fire Official until it is approved; and digital and printed copies of the approved plan for your fire safety plan box and your records.

What is the process for getting a Fire Safety Plan?

We keep it simple, four steps. First, a site visit to map your fire safety equipment and any hazards. Second, drafting, where our team writes the plan and prepares the diagrams. Third, submission to your local fire department's plan review. Fourth, approval and delivery, where once it is approved we deliver the official plan ready to post on site. Call us to get started.

Does My Apartment Building Need a Fire Safety Plan in Ontario?

Oct 13

3 min read

If you own or manage an apartment building in Ontario, you may be wondering whether you need a Fire Safety Plan and whether the binder already sitting in your building is enough.

Ontario’s Fire Code requires a Fire Safety Plan for residential buildings where the occupant load exceeds 10. It also applies to buildings containing four or more storeys, counting storeys below grade.

Other provisions can apply to smaller properties, so these are starting points rather than a complete exemption test.

Fire safety plan box in an apartment building — Stainless Fire Safety Plan Box

Is the Requirement Based on Apartments or Residents?

The residential threshold refers to occupant load, not the number of apartments. A building with fewer than 10 units can still require a Fire Safety Plan. Likewise, a building with three storeys above ground and a basement may meet the four-storey trigger.

If you are unsure how your building is classified, confirm the requirements with your local fire prevention office before assuming it is exempt.

What Does a Fire Safety Plan Include?

A Fire Safety Plan explains how fire emergencies will be managed and how ongoing fire safety duties will be carried out. Required elements include:

Emergency procedures for reporting a fire and responding to an alarm.
Evacuation arrangements, including provisions for people requiring assistance.
Responsibilities and training for supervisory staff.
Fire drill procedures.
Information about fire protection equipment and building features.
Measures for controlling fire hazards and maintaining fire protection systems.

The plan must be prepared, approved and implemented. Keeping a generic template in a binder does not complete those steps.

Who Is Responsible?

Building owners are responsible for ensuring the applicable requirements are met. A property manager or consultant can help develop and maintain the plan, but it must also work in practice: staff need to understand their duties, and emergency procedures need to be available.

Toronto’s guidance identifies owner responsibilities that include developing and implementing an approved plan, training supervisory staff and posting emergency procedures.

Does an Existing Plan Need Updating?

An old approval letter is a useful starting point, but the plan should still reflect the building today.

The Fire Code requires review at least every 12 months and revisions as necessary. Changes to the building’s use, layout or fire protection systems can affect the plan. Review is also needed before construction or demolition so temporary fire safety measures can be addressed.

During your review, check practical details such as:

Can the fire department reach the current owner or property manager?
Do the drawings match the building?
Are staff responsibilities clear?
Does the plan reflect the equipment currently installed?
Are arrangements for residents requiring assistance current?

Annual review does not automatically mean purchasing a completely new plan. In Toronto, clerical changes such as updated management contacts can be handled by updating the approved copies and sending revised pages to Toronto Fire Services. Follow your municipality’s process for revisions.

Does the Fire Department Approve the Plan?

The required plan needs approval from the Chief Fire Official. Submission procedures vary by municipality. Toronto accepts electronic submissions through its Fire Prevention Command Offices and charges an applicable review fee.

Allow time for review and any requested revisions. A consultant can help prepare the submission, but the local fire department determines approval.

Need Help With Your Apartment Building’s Fire Safety Plan?

Sterling Safety helps apartment building owners and property managers prepare and update Fire Safety Plans, evacuation diagrams and emergency procedures.

Whether you need a new plan or want to review an existing one, contact us to discuss your building and the next steps.

Email: thomas@sterlingsafety.ca Website: sterlingsafety.ca