The Ontario Building Code | Separation of Residential Occupancies
9.10.9.11. Separation of residential Occupancies
(1) Except as provided in Sentences (2) and (4), residential occupancies shall be separated from all other major occupancies by a fire separation having a fire-resistance rating of not less than 1 h.
(2) Except as provided in Sentence (3), a major occupancyclassified as a residential occupancy, including live/work units, shall be separated from other major occupancies classified as mercantileor medium hazard industrial occupancies by a fire separation having a fire-resistance rating of not less than 2 h.
(3) Where not more than 2 dwelling units or live/work units are located in a buildingcontaining a mercantile occupancy, such mercantile occupancy shall be separated from the dwelling units or live/work unitsby a fire separation having not less than 1 h fire-resistance rating.
(4) The requirement for fire separations between major occupancies in Sentence (1) is waived for the occupancies allowed within live/work units.
In Plain Language
Residential occupancies (such as separate dwelling units) must be separated from each other by fire separations meeting the requirements set out in this article.
This is a plain-language summary of the 2012/2017 Ontario Building Code text above, for general understanding only and not a substitute for the Code. Always confirm current requirements against the 2024 edition (O.Reg. 163/24) or a qualified professional before construction.