The Ontario Building Code | Permafrost
9.15.1.2. Permafrost
(1) buildings erected on permafrost shall have foundations designed by a designercompetent in this field in accordance with the appropriate requirements of Part 4.
In Plain Language
Where permafrost is present, foundations must be designed to address the specific ground conditions set out in this article, since permanently frozen ground behaves very differently from ordinary 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.