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 We review your existing Fire Safety Plan against the current Ontario Fire Code, flag anything out of date, and bring it back into compliance before it becomes a problem with the fire department.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.

What Happens After Toronto Fire Issues a Notice of Violation?

Oct 20

3 min read

Receiving a Notice of Violation from Toronto Fire Services can feel overwhelming, especially if you are unsure what needs fixing or how quickly you need to act.

The notice identifies fire safety deficiencies that require attention. Your next step is to understand each item, confirm the compliance deadlines and arrange the necessary corrective work. Toronto Fire Services will return to verify that the identified violations have been addressed.

What Is a Notice of Violation?

A Notice of Violation documents deficiencies identified during a fire inspection. These may concern fire protection equipment, building conditions, emergency procedures or required records.

A notice does not automatically mean you have received a fine. Toronto’s enforcement process includes notices, formal orders and charges, depending on the circumstances. Some violations can result in immediate charges, so receiving time to correct deficiencies should never be assumed.

1. Read Every Item Carefully

Start by reviewing the entire notice. For each item, identify:

The deficiency and its location.
The referenced Fire Code provision.
Any compliance date or required action.
The inspector’s contact information.

If something is unclear, contact the inspector assigned to your file. Ask what needs to be corrected and what documentation they expect to see.

Create a simple tracking list with the deficiency, person responsible, deadline and completion status. This helps prevent smaller items from being overlooked while larger repairs are underway.

2. Arrange the Corrective Work

Different deficiencies require different responses. Clearing stored items from an exit route may be straightforward. Repairing a fire alarm system or addressing a building alteration may require qualified contractors and further assessment.

Depending on the notice, your next steps could include:

Arranging equipment testing or repairs.
Obtaining missing inspection and maintenance records.
Preparing or updating a Fire Safety Plan.
Reviewing staff fire emergency responsibilities.
Addressing problems with exits, doors or storage.

Use the actual notice to determine the scope. A new Fire Safety Plan will not resolve an unrelated equipment defect, and a contractor’s service visit may not address missing emergency procedures.

3. Keep Evidence of What Was Completed

Create a folder containing the notice and supporting documents. Useful records may include:

Contractor reports and repair confirmations.
Testing and inspection records.
Updated plans and procedures.
Photographs of corrected conditions.
Correspondence with the inspector.

Ask contractors to identify which deficiencies their work addresses. An invoice showing that someone attended the property may provide less useful information than a report explaining what was repaired and tested.

4. Prepare for the Follow-Up Inspection

Toronto Fire Services returns to check the identified deficiencies.

Under Toronto’s published Notice of Violation process, the first return visit to verify corrections does not attract a re-inspection fee. If deficiencies remain, subsequent re-inspections are chargeable. Different fee rules apply where charges have been laid or an inspection was requested.

Before the visit, check each item against your tracking list, gather the supporting records and arrange access to the relevant rooms and equipment.

What If You Cannot Meet the Deadline?

Contact the inspector before the deadline. Explain what has been completed, what remains outstanding and the reason for the delay. Provide contractor booking dates or other supporting information where available.

Do not assume that booking a contractor automatically extends your compliance date. Ask whether a revised date can be accepted and obtain written confirmation of any agreed change.

Where a building presents an immediate threat to occupant or firefighter safety, Toronto states that temporary measures are required until the violations or orders are corrected. Coordinate those measures with the inspector.

What If You Disagree With a Deficiency?

Raise your concern promptly with the inspector and explain the relevant facts.

Check whether your document is a Notice of Violation or a formal inspection order. Formal orders have a specific review process. Tribunals Ontario states that an owner or occupant disputing an inspector’s order must generally request a Fire Marshal review within 15 days of being served. Follow the instructions on the order and seek legal advice if you intend to challenge it.

Need Help Responding to a Toronto Fire Notice of Violation?

Sterling Safety can help you review deficiencies relating to Fire Safety Plans, evacuation diagrams, emergency procedures and staff training.

Send us a copy of your notice so we can discuss the items within our services and identify the next steps. Equipment repairs and other specialist work may require qualified contractors. Toronto Fire Services determines whether the identified violations have been resolved.

Email: thomas@sterlingsafety.ca

Website: sterlingsafety.ca