The Ontario Building Code | Distance between Exits
3.4.2.3. Distance between Exits
(1) Except as provided in Sentence (2), the least distance between two required exits from a floor area shall be,
(a) one-half the maximum diagonal dimension of the floor area, but need not be more than 9 m for a floor area having a public corridor, or
(b) one-half the maximum diagonal dimension of the floor area, but not less than 9 m for all other floor areas.
(2) Exits need not comply with Sentence (1) where,
(a) the floor area is divided so that not less than one-third of the floor area is on each side of the fire separation, and
(b) it is necessary to pass through the fire separation to travel from one exit to another exit.
(3) The minimum distance between exitsreferred to in Sentence (1) shall be the shortest distance that smoke would have to travel between the exits, assuming that the smoke will not penetrate an intervening fire separation.
In Plain Language
Where two exits are required, they must be spaced apart by at least half the floor area's diagonal dimension (capped at certain distances depending on layout), preventing a single fire from blocking both exits at once.
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.