Publications

The Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC) develops updated content for 5 National Model Codes in French and English. The Codes come into effect when they are adopted by a provincial or territorial regulatory authority. In some cases, the Codes are amended and/or supplemented to suit regional needs and are then published as provincial or territorial codes. The 5 Codes publications are:

• The National Building Code of Canada (NBC): The NBC provides requirements for the design and construction of new buildings and substantial renovation of existing buildings.
• The National Fire Code of Canada (NFC): The NFC provides minimum fire safety requirements for buildings and areas where hazardous materials are used. The NFC also provides requirements for fire protection and fire prevention in the ongoing operation of buildings and facilities.
• The National Plumbing Code of Canada (NPC): The NPC provides requirements for the design and installation of plumbing systems in buildings and facilities.
• The National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings (NECB): The NECB provides minimum energy efficiency requirements for the design and construction of all new buildings and additions, except for farm buildings and buildings falling under the scope of NBC Part 9.
• The National Farm Building Code of Canada (NFBC): The NFBC provides relaxations of the requirements in the NBC to address the particular needs of small farm buildings.

To assist in the application of these publications, explanatory material is published in the form of user’s guides. Descriptions of all the published documents and access to the National Model Codes is available on the National Research Council of Canada’s website, at Codes Canada publications.