The Ontario Building Code | Footings Required
9.15.3.1. footings Required
(1) footings shall be provided under walls, pilasters, columns, piers, fireplaces and chimneys that bear on soil orrock, except that footings are permitted to be omitted under piers or monolithic concrete walls if the safe loadbearing capacity of the soilor rock is not exceeded.
In Plain Language
Footings are required under the conditions set out in this article, providing the wider base that spreads a foundation's load safely into the supporting soil.
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.