The Ontario Building Code | Full and Partial Loading
4.1.6.3. Full and Partial Loading
(1) A roof or other building surface and its structural members subject to loads due to snow accumulation shall be designed for the specified load in Sentence 4.1.6.2.(1), distributed over the entire loaded area.
(2) In addition to the distribution in Sentence (1), flat roofs and shed roofs, gable roofs of 15° slope or less, and arched or curved roofs shall be designed for the specified uniform snow load indicated in Sentence 4.1.6.2.(1), which shall be calculated using Ca = 1.0, distributed on any one portion of the loaded area, and half of this load on the remainder of the loaded area, in such a way as to produce the most critical effects on the member concerned.
In Plain Language
A roof and its structural members subject to snow accumulation must be designed for both the full specified snow load and various partial-loading patterns, since uneven snow drifting can create more severe local stresses than a uniform blanket of snow.
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.