The Northwest Territories is the last jurisdiction in Canada without its own building code, but the territorial government has started the process to address that void.
Inuvik Boot Lake MLA Denny Rodgers expressed his strong desire to see an NWT building code established while addressing then-Infrastructure Minister Caroline Wawzonek in the legislative assembly in March. He acknowledged that GNWT buildings abide by the national building code, including electrical, plumbing, the fire code, the energy code, as well as standards of construction. But he pointed out that private development projects, however, lack building standards.
鈥淚've heard this in my riding. I'm sure others have as well from both builders and contractors鈥� electrical companies up there as well as plumbing companies,鈥� said Rodgers.
He asked Wawzonek to make clear when the GNWT will create its own building standards legislation with full analysis, risks and gaps, as well as funding for staffing, inspections and enforcement.
Wawzonek noted that the Department of Infrastructure is sharing the responsibility of drafting an NWT building code with the departments of Housing and Municipal and Community Affairs. She said there is a working group in place that will make recommendations using elements from the national building code but adapted so that it's made in the North 鈥渁nd applied for in the North and relevant to the North.鈥�
Rodgers called it 鈥渆xcellent news.鈥�
The Building Standards Framework Working Group comprises staff from the three aforementioned government departments. The working group isn鈥檛 just about legislation but 鈥渋s meant to identify any gaps and areas for improvement, research the different approaches in Canada, consider how to engage with industry and develop a scope of work for a building standards framework,鈥� stated the GNWT press secretary's office.
Rodgers asked what guidance is available in the meantime for developers and even individuals who are seeking direction on building standards in the NWT.
Wawzonek noted that the Department of Infrastructure released the fourth edition of the Good Building Practice for 黑料吃瓜网 Facilities in April 2021. She said she would 鈥渃onsider it appropriate for all private developers in other levels of government and really any other non-GNWT bodies to be using this as their reference place.鈥�
The reference manual describes and explains what the model codes are and gives some guidance as to what the GNWT has determined is 鈥渁ppropriate and workable for 黑料吃瓜网 infrastructure.鈥�
鈥淪o [we] certainly do want to point people to that document while we are working to have our very own set of codes in place,鈥� Wawzonek replied to Rodgers.
The Inuvik MLA also declared that to be 鈥済ood news,鈥� although he mentioned that the forthcoming NWT building standards legislation will be enforceable, as opposed to the recommended practices.
He asked Wawzonek when the new building law will be in place.
She said she didn't have a final date but her aim is to have it completed by the end of the 20th Assembly's term, which would be 2027.
Although Wawzonek has since shifted to focus on NWT mega-projects and has been succeeded as Infrastructure minister by Vince McKay, her successor is maintaining a similar timeline for completion of the NWT building code, according to the GNWT press secretary's office.
鈥淢inister McKay shares the objective of having building standards legislation in place by the end of the 20th Assembly. He recognizes the importance of this work and is committed to continuing the planning and development efforts that began under his predecessor,鈥� reads an emailed statement on April 25. 鈥淲hile there are still resourcing and capacity considerations to work through, the goal is to advance the legislation within this term.鈥�
Nunavut's Building Code Act went into effect on Sept. 1, 2018.
Yukon has a Building Standards Act that was passed in 2002 and amended in 2013.
For more stories on the construction industry in the North, click here.
