The Ontario Building Code | Group A, Division 3, up to 2 Storeys
3.2.2.30. Group A, Division 3, up to 2 Storeys
(1) A building classified as Group A, Division 3 is permitted to conform to Sentence (2) provided,
(a) it is not more than 2 storeys in building height, and
(b) it has a building area not more than the value in Table 3.2.2.30.
Table 3.2.2.30.
Maximum Building Area, Group A, Division 3, up to 2 Storeys
Forming Part of Sentence 3.2.2.30.(1)
| Item | Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 |
|
| No. of Storeys | Maximum Area, m2 |
|
|
|
|
| Facing 1 Street | Facing 2 Streets | Facing 3 Streets |
| 1. | 1 | 4 000 | 5 000 | 6 000 |
| 2. | 2 | 2 000 | 2 500 | 3 000 |
(2) Except as permitted by Clauses (c) and (d), the building referred to in Sentence (1) shall be of noncombustible construction, and,
(a) floor assemblies shall be fire separations with a fire-resistance rating not less than 1 h,
(b) mezzaninesshall have a fire-resistance rating not less than 1 h,
(c) roof assemblies shall,
(i) have a fire-resistance rating not less than 45 min, or
(ii) be of heavy timber construction, and
(d) loadbearingwalls, columns and arches shall have a fire-resistance rating not less than that required for the supported assembly, except that arches and structural members within the storeyimmediately below a roof assembly are permitted to be of heavy timber construction.
(3) If intended for occasional use for trade shows and similar exhibition purposes, the building referred to in Sentence (1) that is more than 1 500 m2 in building area shall be sprinklered.
In Plain Language
This article sets one of the specific size-and-construction packages available for a Group A, Division 3 buildings building: up to 2 storeys with area capped per Table 3.2.2.30 (up to 6,000 m² depending on storeys and street frontage), generally noncombustible construction. Designers can choose whichever of the several packages in this Subsection best fits the building being planned, trading height and area against construction type, sprinklering, and fire-resistance rating requirements.
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.