The Ontario Building Code | Foundation Walls Considered to be Laterally Supported at the Bottom
9.15.4.4. foundation Walls Considered to be Laterally supported at the Bottom
(1) Flat insulating concrete form foundation walls shall be considered to be laterally supported at the bottom where the foundation wall,
(a) supports backfill not more than 1.2 m in height,
(b) is supported at the footing by a shear key and is supported at the top by the ground floor framing, or
(c) is dowelled to the footing with not less than 15M bars spaced not more than 1.2 m o.c.
In Plain Language
A foundation wall is considered laterally supported at the bottom under the conditions set out in this article, typically where the slab or footing below braces the wall.
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.