SECTION 9.3 – BOARDING, LODGING AND ROOMING HOUSES
SECTION 9.3 BOARDING, LODGING AND ROOMING HOUSES
Subsection 9.3.1. Application and General
Application
9.3.1.1. (1) This Section applies to boarding houses, lodging houses, rooming houses and private rest homes in which residents do not require care or treatment because of age, mental or physical limitations, where
(a) the building height does not exceed 3 storeys and the building area does not exceed 600 m2,
(b) lodging is provided for more than four persons in return for remuneration or the provision of services or both, and
(c) lodging rooms do not have both bathrooms and kitchen facilities for the exclusive use of individual occupants.
(2) This Section applies to homes for special care within the meaning of the Homes for Special Care Act, where
(a) the building height does not exceed 3 storeys and the building area does not exceed 600 m2,
(b) sleeping accommodation is provided for more than three but not more than 10 residents, and
(c) residents do not require nursing care.
(3) Revoked: O. Reg. 256/14, s. 327.
Exemption for MCSS residences and hotels
9.3.1.2. (1) Subject to Sentence 9.3.1.1.(2), this Section does not apply to residential occupancies that are regulated under the Ministry of Community and Social Services Act.
(2) This Section does not apply to a building or part of a building regulated under Section 9.9.
Definitions
9.3.1.3. For the purposes of this Section,
“1986 Building Code” means Ontario Regulation 419/86, as it read on February 11, 1987;
“existing” means in existence on February 11, 1987.
Subsection 9.3.2. Containment
9.3.2.1. Fire separations required by this Section to have a fire-resistance rating shall comply with Subsection 9.10.3. of the 1986 Building Code.
Floor assemblies
9.3.2.2. (1) Floor assemblies shall
(a) be constructed as fire separations, and
(b) have a fire-resistance rating not less than 30 min.
(2) Existing floor assemblies with ceilings consisting of lath and plaster, gypsum board or noncombustible materials are deemed to be in compliance with Sentence (1).
Basement fire separations
9.3.2.3. Where a basement does not contain a bedroom, recreation room, meeting room or hobby room, a fire separation having no fire-resistance rating between the basement and first storey is deemed to be in compliance with Clause 9.3.2.2.(1)(b).
Walls separating bedrooms
9.3.2.4. (1) Each guest room or suite of rooms shall have interior walls having a fire-resistance rating not less than 30 min.
(2) Existing wall assemblies consisting of membranes of lath and plaster or gypsum wallboard are deemed to be in compliance with Sentence (1).
Furnace room separations
9.3.2.5. (1) In a building where the building height is greater than 2 storeys or the building area is greater than 400 m2, a furnace room that is located on a floor area that contains a bedroom, recreation room, meeting room or hobby room shall be separated from the remainder of the building by a fire separation having a fire-resistance rating not less than 45 min.
(2) Existing fire separations consisting of membranes of lath and plaster or gypsum board are deemed to be in compliance with Sentence (1).
(3) Where the required vertical fire separation in a furnace room is maintained and it is not practical in the circumstances to construct the ceiling as a fire separation having a fire-resistance rating not less than 45 min, the furnace room area shall be sprinklered with a spacing that does not exceed 9.5 m2 per sprinkler head.
(4) Closures in fire separations for a furnace room shall have a fire-protection rating not less than 45 min.
(5) A hollow metal or kalamein door and frame are deemed to be in compliance with Sentence (4).
(6) Closures referred to in Sentences (4) and (5) shall be equipped with latches and self-closing devices.
(7) Despite Sentence (1), fire dampers or fire-stop flaps are not required in ducts at penetrations of a fire separation.
Combustion air
9.3.2.6. Where a furnace room is separated to comply with the requirements of Article 9.3.2.5., sufficient combustion air shall be brought directly from the exterior for the proper combustion and safe operation of the appliance.
Subsection 9.3.3. Means of Egress
Number of exits
9.3.3.1. (1) Each floor area shall be served by at least two exits.
(2) Where sleeping accommodation is not provided for more than 10 persons, one exit from each of the first and second floor floor areas is deemed to be in compliance with Sentence (1).
(3) Where sleeping accommodation is not provided in the basement, one exit from the basement is deemed to be in compliance with Sentence (1).
Acceptable exits
9.3.3.2. (1) Exits required by Article 9.3.3.1. shall comply with the requirements of Articles 9.9.2.2. and 9.9.2.3. of the 1986 Building Code.
(2) Despite Sentence 9.3.3.5.(1), not more than one required exit from the basement may lead through the first floor floor area.
(3) Where sleeping accommodation is not provided for more than 10 persons, corridors that are contiguous to a stairway may form part of the stairway enclosure.
(4) Only one stairway enclosure described in Sentence (3) may be used as an exit.
(5) Where a fire escape of the type referred to in Article 9.3.3.4. is used as an exit, it is deemed to comply with the requirements of Articles 9.9.2.2. and 9.9.2.3. of the 1986 Building Code.
9.3.3.3. Despite Articles 9.3.3.1. and 9.3.3.2., alternative measures may be approved where, in the opinion of the Chief Fire Official, they will provide protection for life safety similar to the protection provided by compliance with Articles 9.3.3.1. and 9.3.3.2.
Fire escapes
9.3.3.4. (1) Each fire escape used as an exit shall be constructed in compliance with Article 3.4.7.13., excluding Sentences (4) and (5), of the 1986 Building Code.
(2) Despite Sentence (1), existing fire escapes may be approved.
(3) Access to fire escapes shall be from corridors.
Protection of exits
9.3.3.5. (1) Each exit other than a doorway opening directly onto a fire escape or to the outdoors at ground level shall be separated from the remainder of the building or from another exit by a fire separation having a fire-resistance rating not less than 30 min.
(2) Existing exit stairways separated from the remainder of the building by walls consisting of lath and plaster or gypsum wallboard are deemed to be in compliance with Sentence (1).
(3) Despite Sentence (1), an existing separation of noncombustible material may be approved.
Interior stairways
9.3.3.6. (1) Floor separations shall be maintained at interior stairways that are not required exits.
(2) The floor separation shall be maintained at an exit permitted in Sentence 9.3.3.2.(2).
9.3.3.7. Floor separations required in Article 9.3.3.6. shall be rated in accordance with Articles 9.3.2.2. and 9.3.3.5.
Protection of openings in fire separations
9.3.3.8. (1) Closures in fire separations required under Article 9.3.3.5. and in floor separations required under Article 9.3.3.6. shall
(a) be constructed in accordance with Article 9.10.3.1. of the 1986 Building Code,
(b) have a fire-protection rating not less than 20 min, and
(c) if the closure is openable, be equipped with self-closing and latching devices.
(2) Closures located along contiguous corridors permitted in Sentence 9.3.3.2.(3) shall comply with Sentence (1).
(3) A 45 mm solid core wood, hollow metal or kalamein door, equipped with self-closing and latching devices, is deemed to comply with Sentences (1) and (2).
(4) Despite Sentences (1) and (2), frames for doors described in Sentence (3) may be of wood, hollow metal or kalamein construction.
(5) Despite Sentences (1) and (2), fire dampers or fire-stop flaps are not required in ducts at penetrations of a fire separation.
9.3.3.9. Existing wired glass closures set in fixed steel frames in a fire separation are deemed to be in compliance with Article 9.3.3.8.
Exit signs
9.3.3.10. (1) Exit signs shall be located along a means of egress so that directions of exit travel are apparent to the occupants.
(2) Exit signs required by Sentence (1) shall have the word “EXIT” in block letters and such letters shall be
(a) internally or externally illuminated,
(b) coloured red on an opaque or contrasting field, and
(c) at least 115 mm high with a 19 mm stroke.
Interior finishes
9.3.3.11. The flame-spread rating of interior finishes on walls and ceilings within a means of egress shall not exceed 200.
Illumination of egress
9.3.3.12. Corridors and stairways shall be lighted to the intensity of 50 lx measured at the floor level, or 5 watts/m2 of floor area.
Emergency lighting
9.3.3.13. Where sleeping accommodation is provided for more than 10 persons, emergency lighting shall be provided to corridors and stairways in accordance with Articles 9.9.11.4. and 9.9.11.5. of the 1986 Building Code.
Subsection 9.3.4. Fire Alarm and Detection
Fire alarm requirements
9.3.4.1. (1) A building to which this Section applies that does not have floor assemblies having a minimum 45 min fire-resistance rating and public corridors or corridors serving sleeping rooms not within a dwelling unit that are not fire-separated from the remainder of the building by a minimum 30 min fire-resistance rating shall have a fire alarm system that complies with Articles 9.10.17.5. and 9.10.17.11. of the 1986 Building Code, and shall have
(a) smoke alarms that comply with Sentence (2) and that are installed and interconnected so that the activation of any smoke alarm will sound a similar signal in each of the interconnected devices, or
(b) fire alarm system smoke detectors installed on the ceiling of each floor adjacent to each stairway, and on the ceiling in the basement adjacent to each stairway.
(2) Smoke alarms referred to in Clause (1)(a) shall
(a) be installed on the ceiling in the corridor of each floor adjacent to each stairway and on the ceiling in the basement adjacent to each stairway,
(b) be on a separate circuit with no disconnect switch between the overcurrent device and the smoke alarms, and
(c) employ devices and an interconnected installation that are listed.
9.3.4.2. (1) A fire alarm system complying with Articles 9.10.17.4., 9.10.17.5., 9.10.17.11. and Subsection 9.10.18. of the 1986 Building Code shall be installed where
(a) sleeping accommodation is provided for more than 10 persons, and
(b) the floor assemblies have a fire-resistance rating not less than 45 min and public corridors or corridors serving sleeping rooms not within a dwelling unit are separated from the remainder of the building by fire separations having a fire-resistance rating not less than 30 min.
9.3.4.3. Where a fire alarm system is required and sleeping accommodation is not provided for more than 14 persons, an interconnected smoke alarm system in accordance with Clause 9.3.4.1.(1)(a) is deemed to be in compliance with Article 9.3.4.2.
9.3.4.4. Despite Articles 9.3.4.1. and 9.3.4.2., existing fire alarm systems may be approved where the system reliability and performance will not increase the risk of life safety.
Subsection 9.3.5. Suppression
Portable extinguishers
9.3.5.1. (1) Despite the provisions of Subsection 6.2.6., at least one 2A rated portable extinguisher shall be provided on each floor.
(2) At least one 5B:C rated portable extinguisher shall be installed in each kitchen where shared cooking facilities exist.