General

The Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC) is a committee of volunteer industry practitioners, construction technology experts, building users and operators, and regulators. The CCBFC is responsible for the development of the National Model Codes.

Members are selected from across Canada for their individual expertise rather than as delegates of any association or group. They are selected with a view to providing broad technical and geographical representation.

The National Model Codes are 5 documents developed and maintained by the CCBFC. The documents serve as models for provincial and territorial building and fire regulations and come into effect once adopted by an authority having jurisdiction. In some cases, the National Model Codes are amended and/or supplemented to suit regional needs and then published as jurisdictional codes.

The 5 documents are the National Building Code of Canada (NBC), the National Fire Code of Canada (NFC), the National Plumbing Code of Canada (NPC), the National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings (NECB) and the National Farm Building Code of Canada (NFBC; last published in 1995).

The CCBFC is responsible for developing and updating the National Model Codes. It is assisted by 9 standing committees and several task groups and working groups – with hundreds of volunteer members. The Codes are developed and updated using an extensive consensus-based process involving all sectors of the construction community and the public.

The code development process benefits from the research, technical and administrative support of the National Research Council of Canada (NRC). The Provincial/Territorial Advisory Committee on Codes (PTPACC) also assists the CCBFC by providing advice on code priorities. Learn more about PTPACC’s role here.

Members of the public, Codes users, and industry stakeholders can get involved in the code development process by submitting a code change request form, volunteering to be a member of the CCBFC, its standing committees or task groups, attending a meeting of the CCBFC, or participating in a public review.

Research from provinces, territories, municipalities, and other stakeholders is also an important input to the code development process.

Ongoing development of the National Model Codes updates editions to reflect improvements in technology, address emerging health and safety issues, and generally continue to meet the evolving needs of the construction industry and Canadian society.

The 2020 editions of the NBC, NFC, NPC and NECB were released in March 2022. The NFBC was last published in 1995.

Since the 2015 editions of the NBC, NFC and NPC, and the 2017 edition of the NECB, nearly 400 technical changes have been incorporated into the 2020 editions of these Codes. These changes will make Canadian homes and buildings safer and more accessible, while responding to climate change. To learn more, visit the list of key technical changes in the 2020 Codes.

Revisions and errata approved by the CCBFC are published mid-cycle, while emergency changes are released as needed. Revisions and errata packages for the National Model Codes are available for free in electronic format through the National Research Council of Canada's (NRC) Publications Archive. If you did not purchase your printed publication directly from the NRC, please create an account in the NRC Virtual Store and subscribe to the mailing list in order to be notified of any revisions and errata.

New editions of the 4 major Codes (NBC, NFC, NPC and NECB) are published approximately every 5 years, with the current Code cycle running from 2022 to 2025. Development of the 2025 National Model Codes is underway. The CCBFC encourages the involvement of industry, general interest and regulatory experts in the code development process to ensure that the best available knowledge drives meaningful change. It is currently anticipated that the next editions of the Codes will be released in 2025.

About technical content

For technical enquiries, such as seeking an opinion on the intent of a code requirement or advice on whether a specific design, material or system conforms with a code requirement, please consult the appropriate municipal, provincial or territorial official. More information about technical enquiries is available on the National Research Council of Canada’s website.

For general questions about the Codes, the CCBFC can be reached by email at CCBFCSecretary-SecretaireCCCBPI@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca.

Proposing a code change

Suggestions for changes to the National Model Codes are welcome from anyone at any time. Complete the code change request form on the NRC’s website. You do not need to be a subject-matter expert to submit a request, as the code change requirements are developed by expert committees and task groups. If you are submitting a code change request, please ensure that your request is clear and focuses on technical issues that are generic or widespread. The request should include:

  • the existing code requirement, if applicable
  • the reasons for the change or addition
  • the proposed revision or new requirement
  • supporting documentation, including cost/benefit data
  • enforcement implications, and
  • the related code objectives.

Code change requests that do not satisfy these criteria will be returned to you for additional information. For further details, see the guidelines for requesting changes on the NRC’s website.

Accessing the Codes

The National Model Codes, as well as the related user’s guides, are available for free in electronic format and for purchase in print format.

To access the electronic documents, visit the online collection of National Model Codes publications in the National Research Council of Canada's (NRC) Publications Archive.

To purchase the publications in print format, place your order online through the NRC Virtual Store. Alternatively, you can send a completed order form (PDF, 164 KB) to the NRC’s Codes Canada Publication Sales by fax, email or regular mail.

Contact Codes Canada Publication Sales
Email: CONSTPubSales-Ventes@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
Phone: 1-800-672-7990 or 1-613-993-2463
Fax: 1-613-952-4040
Opening hours: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Eastern time, Monday to Friday