Online access to the B.C. codes will now be free of charge, reports the Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI).
On Aug. 14, Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills, and Training, announced that anyone who purchased the code on or after Sept. 5, 2018, will receive a refund. As of April 1, electronic versions of the National Building Code of Canada were made available at no cost. A substantial refund will be given for those who purchased a printed copy. The full amount will be refunded to anyone who bought an online subscription of the codes.
Building codes establish the minimum standard for the design and construction of buildings, supporting the safety, health, accessibility, fire and structural protection of buildings, along with energy and water efficiency.
“Not only are we returning money to the hard-working students and firms of B.C.’s construction sector and making national building codes free from now on, we are also celebrating the Province’s role in setting the stage for better harmonization under one national standard,” said Navdeep Singh Bains, federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.