News release

Adoption of Proposed Building Code Amendments Extended

Municipal Affairs and Housing

Nova Scotians planning new construction or renovation projects will have more time to adapt to pending new building code requirements in the province.

Amendments to the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations that were proposed to take effect January 1 will be adopted at a later date to allow more time for education and training. The decision was based on public consultations and will support the transition to the new requirements in the planning and development of projects.

“We’re in the midst of a housing crisis. We’ve heard from the industry, and are responding to feedback received through our consultations,” said John Lohr, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Minister responsible for the Office of the Fire Marshal. “In the current environment, with labour shortages and supply chain issues, more time is needed to effectively plan and adapt to the new code requirements.”

The government will continue to monitor conditions and work with key stakeholders on the timing of the changes.

Amendments to the regulations are needed to adopt new national codes as the new minimum standards for construction in the province. These codes include:

  • 2020 National Building Code
  • 2020 National Plumbing Code
  • 2020 National Energy Code for Buildings.

The new national codes use a tiered system that will provide a road map to increasing energy efficiency standards and help to move the industry towards net-zero construction of buildings.

The proposed changes are available at: https://novascotia.ca/building-code-regulations-public-notice/

Quick Facts:

  • proposed changes to the regulations were released on August 14 for public comment
  • Tier 1 of the 2020 national codes was proposed to take effect on January 1, 2024, with implementation of tiers 2 and 3 rolling out over four years

Additional Resources:

Nova Scotia Building Code Act (Chapter 46 of the revised statutes, 1989): https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/buildcod.htm

Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations: https://novascotia.ca/just/regulations/regs/bcregs.htm

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