The Ontario Building Code | Elevator Emergency Return
3.2.4.15. Elevator Emergency Return
(1) Except as permitted by Sentence (3), in a buildinghaving elevators that serve storeys above the first storey and that are equipped with an automatic emergency recall feature, smoke detectors shall be installed in the elevator lobbies on the recall level so that when these smoke detectors are actuated, the elevators will automatically return directly to an alternate floor level.
(2) Smoke detectorsrequired by Sentence (1) shall be designed as part of the buildingfire alarm system.
(3) The alternate floor recall feature required by Sentence (1) is not required if the floor area containing the recall level is sprinklered.
In Plain Language
This clause requires the fire alarm system to include supervisory signals showing trouble conditions, such as a broken wire or low battery, so building staff are alerted to system faults before an actual emergency occurs.
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.