Building Owner Fined $1,500 for Ontario Fire Code Offence

HAMILTON, ON - May 18, 2017 - The registered owner of an eleven (11) storey residential apartment building, has been convicted in Provincial Offences Court of one offence of the Ontario Fire Code. Bay South Properties Limited, the registered owner of 172 Bay Street South, Hamilton, plead guilty on May 16th, 2017 in Provincial Offences Court to violating a provision of the Ontario Fire Code and was fined $1,500.

The conviction was the result of the Owner not maintaining the building’s Emergency Power Supply.

Maintaining the building’s Emergency Power Supply is necessary to ensure that the system is fully functional should the power to the building be interrupted during a fire or other emergency. A properly functioning emergency power supply is designed to provide both sufficient lighting within the common area to allow for the residents to safely evacuate from their floor level to the exterior as well as providing back up power to other life safety systems. This is especially important in this building because of the number of stories.  

“Building owners must take responsibility to ensure their buildings are in full compliance with the Ontario Fire Code and failure to do so will result in prosecution” - Robert Simpson, Chief Fire Prevention Officer, Hamilton Fire Department

If building owners have any questions regarding the these Ontario Fire Code requirements or any other fire safety matters, they are encouraged to contact the Fire Prevention Division of the Hamilton Fire Department at 905 546-2424 ext. 1380, weekdays between the hours of 8:30am to 4:30pm.  

Additional fire safety information can also be found on our website at www.hamilton.ca/fire.