Summary

The bill amends The Construction Codes Act to allow derelict buildings to be demolished by controlled fire, with regulations to define what qualifies as derelict and govern the demolition process. It also expands the minister's authority to create policies and programs related to building safety.

This bill creates a new category called derelict buildings and allows them to be burned down under controlled conditions as a method of demolition. The bill does not define what makes a building derelict, that will be determined later through regulations made by cabinet. Buildings demolished this way will be exempt from normal construction standards that apply to demolitions. The bill also gives the minister broader authority to develop programs and policies related to building safety. The changes will take effect on a date set by cabinet order. Fire departments and municipalities sometimes use controlled burns of abandoned structures for training, and this bill appears to provide a legal framework for that practice, though the regulations will determine which buildings qualify and what conditions must be met.