fire safety plan FAQ | Fire Safety Plan Ontario
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Fire Safety FAQs

ANSWERS

What is a Fire Safety Plan?

A Fire Safety Plan is a document required by Section 2.8 of the Ontario Fire Code, designed by the building owner or retained specialist, to identify the actions that should be taken by the occupants and building management in the event of a fire or similar emergency situation.

Do I need a Fire Safety Plan for my building? 

It is required by law to have a Fire Safety Plan (FSP) for buildings which are listed in Section 2.8 of the Ontario Fire Code. These are, among others, buildings containing:

  • an assembly occupancy,

  • a care occupancy,

  • a care and treatment occupancy,

  • a detention occupancy,

  • a residential occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 10,

  • a retirement home,

  • a business and personal services occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 300,

  • a mercantile occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 300,

  • a high hazard industrial occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 25,

  • a medium hazard industrial occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 100, or

  • a low hazard industrial occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 300.

FSPs are also required for all buildings and premises containing 4 storeys or more, including storeys below grade.

If you are not sure if you need a Fire Safety Plan, just call us for a consultation. 

*Consultation and estimate are free of charge.

May I prepare a fire safety plan myself?

A fire safety plan can be prepared by anyone, however, it is helpful to be familiar with fire safety systems and equipment installed in the building. Fire protection is a specific field with a specific nomenclature, and some engineering knowledge is required. The person also needs to be familiar with a drawing software to prepare floor plans of the building.  

Some fire departments offer fire safety plan templates. You can download them from our Services page. 

However, if "time is money" for you, I would not recommend you to spend time preparing your plan. I've met people who had spent several days preparing their plans and they were still not acceptable for a fire inspector. 

What are the main steps in the process? 

  1. Call, text, or email us the building's address. Let us know if you have any existing floor plans.

  2. You will receive the quotation upon providing us with the address. We will also send you a request for additional information that is beyond the scope of online resources.

  3. After we agree on the quotation, we will need a contact person to make an appointment for a site visit (usually we need an access to all service rooms in the building to prepare floor plans - we do not bother residents/tenants in their suites). On rare occasions, we may also prepare a plan without a visit if you have up to date plans of each floor of the building.

  4. If applicable, our visit in a building takes from less than 1 to 4 hours, depending on the size and complexity of the building.

  5. After the site visit or upon receiving your previous plans and information, we prepare the fire safety plan in our office and we submit it to the fire department who has the authority in the building's area.

    • FYI, Some fire departments charge an additional fee for fire safety plans' review and approval (e.g. Toronto, Brampton, Waterloo, Guelph, Niagara Falls) – see below for rates.

  6. Afterwards (time depends on a fire inspector's workload), the fire inspector will contact you to visit the building and check if the submitted fire safety plan properly reflects the building's floor layouts, occupancy, and fire protection systems installed in the facility (usually, it is not a regular fire inspection - it is only regarding the plan).

  7. If the fire inspector will have any comments or need any corrections, we will correct the plan (no additional fee of course) and we will be in touch with him/her until the approval.

  8. Once the plan is approved, we will deliver the plan to you (in a pdf format) and give you instructions regarding the implementation of the plan via email or call.

  9. One hard copy of the approved plan shall be kept in the fire safety plan box in the vicinity of the main entrance to the building (the location will be specified in the fire safety plan), together with the keys to the building, and main service rooms for the fire department to enter.

Does every plan have to be approved?

Every plan for a building listed in Section 2.8 of the Ontario Fire Code must be approved by a Chief Fire Official who has jurisdiction in the building's area. It means that the prepared draft of the fire safety plan should be submitted to the fire department for review and approval. A fire inspector will check if the plan is prepared in compliance with the Ontario Fire Code and will also visit your building to check if all the included information is correct. Sometimes the approval process could take even several months, depending on the workload of the assigned fire inspector.

Where should I keep my fire safety plan?

After approval, the fire safety plan should be kept in a fire safety plan box, installed in the vicinity of the main entrance to the building. Details related to the location of the boxes are usually described in a by-law. For the City of Toronto, it is TORONTO MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 470, FIRE SAFETY BOXES. 

Where can I get a fire safety plan box?

We can provide and install the FSP boxes for you with an additional fee corresponding to the price of the box and installation.

There are also several distributors of boxes, and you can easily find them online.

Which fire departments charge fees for FSP approval?

Now, the following fire departments charge fees for fire safety plans' review and approval:

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  • Toronto               $424.76

  • Brampton            $20 if the FSP is not required by the Ontario Fire Code

  • Waterloo             $70

  • Guelph                $490

  • Niagara Falls      $50

  • Vaughan             $144.64 (for the second submission)

  • Markham           $153

  • Mississauga        min. $196.38 if the FSP is not required by the Ontario Fire Code

The prices and cities charging fees are subject to change. 

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