Pickup official access badge and registration package.
OBOA Registration: Brenda Goetz & Macy Huynh
Mike Leonard | Mike Gagne | Christina Costanza | Jonathan DeWeered | Lawrence Wagner

Meet the Exhibitors on the Tradeshow floor. Don't forget to fill out your passport to be entered into a prize draw!

Take some time to relax with your colleagues and discuss the day's training.

Breakfast Buffet

Pickup official access badge and registration package.
OBOA Registration: Brenda Goetz & Macy Huynh
Mike Leonard | Mike Gagne | Christina Costanza | Jonathan DeWeered | Lawrence Wagner

Opening and Welcome to the 69th Annual Meeting and Training Sessions

Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser is regarded as one of the best female hockey players in the world. With seven world championships, six Olympic appearances, and five Olympic medals, she is a titan of sport and a leader both on and off the ice.

Alison Orr and Marianne Brown - will bring you up to date on the latest claims against Municipalities, highlight red flags, and provide risk management tips for Building Departments.

This presentation encompasses an in-depth examination of the technical aspects of the spatial separation requirements in the Building Code including assumptions, simplifications and basis information. The presentation will provide details of:
1. Early history of fire limits and insurance rating exposures
2. The St. Lawrence burn tests
3. Conversion of St. Lawrence burn test results to regulations, including the spatial separation table development and underlying equations and assumptions
4. Details of the basis of more recent developments including concentrated openings, compartment-to-compartment exposure, 10-minute fire department arrival time

This presentation is intended to provide attendees with a detailed understanding of the technical basis and assumptions underlying the current spatial separation requirements to facilitate a better understanding of their application to design and review of alternative solutions.

Architects have proposed building-code changes in Canada and the United States to allow construction of six-storey multi-family dwellings with one stairway instead of two.
Ostensibly, the proposals are about more family-friendly buildings; the single-staircase model accommodates three-bedroom suites and better layouts, improved climate controls, smaller lots and increased fire and life-safety measures.
But to fire personnel and organizations the proposals go against decades of consensus codes, circumvent long-established standards-development processes, and increase risks to occupants and responders.
NFPA regional director Laura King examines the single-stair issue, the potential impacts on inspections and building officials, gaps in the proposals, arguments for and against the change, the jurisdictions that have long permitted single-egress stairs, the situation in Canada, and who’s doing what to ensure everyone stays safe.

Join Andrew as we explore the good, the bad, and the ugly code changes that effect plumbing inspectors and plan examiners.

This session focuses on the critical aspects of inspecting wood trusses and engineered wood products in residential construction. You’ll gain the knowledge needed to confidently interpret engineered drawings, identify compliance issues, and verify proper installation on-site.
Key topics include:
- Defining design responsibilities under Part 9 of the Building Code
- Reading and understanding engineered truss and EWP drawings
- Inspecting permanent bracing: roles, requirements, and installation standards
- Identifying special bracing needs
- Checking fastening details for multi-ply truss members
- Inspecting hangers and other structural hardware for code compliance

Explore Article 4.1.8. and learn how the prescription for earthquake load upon buildings works, and what has changed after January 1, 2025.

This presentation is designed to provide education on the basics of firestopping of pipe penetrations and how different systems perform in fire conditions.  We will review some of the new 2024 OBC updates for firestopping of Combustible and Non-Combustible piping, the types of firestop products that exist, and also dig into firestop listings focusing on details such as: Annular space, FT ratings, XFR Piping, Mineral wool types etc.

Will cover the latest developments in terms of GFRP Codes/standards, policies, performance, benefits and cost savings. Also provide detail on the differences between steel and V-ROD GFRP reinforcing, where it is safe and makes economic sense while providing structure sustainability and durability with a lower carbon footprint. Will show some pictures of the hundreds of successful applications and why it becoming a standard reinforcing material.

Evaluating compliance with applicable law is a critical part of the building permit review process. This session breaks down what applicable law really means under the Ontario Building Code and how to recognize and manage it effectively at each stage of the permit process. From zoning and heritage approvals to conservation authority clearances, participants will gain the tools to streamline reviews and avoid missing requirements.

Learn how the Trax CheckMate prototype is transforming the permit intake process with AI-powered completeness checking. This session will demonstrate how municipalities in the Trax pilot program are using CheckMate to automatically review permit applications for missing or inconsistent information — reducing delays, minimizing resubmissions, and improving service delivery. Ideal for building officials, planners, builder developers and technology leaders seeking to streamline permit workflows.

This session brings together expertise from WoodWorks and RSM Building Consultants to provide plans examiners and building officials with practical insights into the use of engineered wood products in Part 9 construction.
Hailey Quiquero from WoodWorks Ontario will walk through the resources available from WoodWorks, a Canadian Wood Council initiative that supports the use of wood in construction. This segment will spotlight the free tools and materials developed for building officials to support confident, code-compliant wood design reviews.

This session is designed to help building officials recognize and address safety concerns tied to indoor air quality (IAQ), depressurization, and ventilation system design - especially as homes get more airtight and complex.

This session will help building official understand the rise of the interest of helical piles, theory (relation between torque to bearing capacity) , certification tools to assess their code compliancy, installation tools to ensure their reliability, construction applications for structural & non-structural and comparison with conventional shallow methods.

New construction and energy efficient buildings have greatly reduced air infiltration and exfiltration through the building envelope. This effect can derate the performance of exhaust only fans, as well as lead to undesirable negative building pressures. Solid-fuel, Spillage Susceptible appliances may not operate at critical negative building pressures. A Depressurization Test is the requirement [OBC 9.32.3.8.(7)] to accurately measure building pressures and the effects of excessive exhaust only fans, as well as determine the safe operating condition for Spillage Susceptible appliances. Ensuring balanced building ventilation and pressures prevents mechanical devices from back-drafting Spillage Susceptible appliances. This session will guide you through the process of completing a Depressurization Test on a residential dwelling.

Hear from ICC-ES Canada about their expansion into Canada, and how they can support innovation in Canadian construction through code evaluations for innovative products.

Since the implementation of the 2024 Ontario Building Code, large farm buildings falling under Part 2 have introduced new complexities for engineers, designers, and authorities. This session shares firsthand insights from applying the new code in current agricultural projects.
We’ll explore practical challenges encountered in interpreting and applying the new requirements, including structural, fire protection, general review obligations, professional scope boundaries, and areas requiring further clarification.
Attendees will benefit from lessons learned, emerging best practices, and recommendations for smoother approvals and design work flows. This session delivers essential insights to equip individuals with the knowledge needed to confidently navigate the evolving code landscape for large farm buildings.

"The OBC indirectly defines acceptable performance through compliance with the Division B acceptable solution requirements or through an alternative solution that “will achieve at least the minimum level of performance required by the applicable acceptable solutions in respect of the objectives and functional statements attributed to the applicable acceptable solutions.” The minimum required level of performance is not clearly defined and often necessitates a comparative approach for alternative solutions.
This presentation is intended to discuss approaches to establishing the minimum level of performance of acceptable solution requirements, the pitfalls of the comparative approach, and strategies that can be used by reviewers of alternative solutions to address these pitfalls."

Modular construction is on the rise—and with it comes important considerations for building officials. This session explores the different types of modular buildings, the standards that govern them, and how they align with OBC requirements. We’ll clarify submission expectations, such as designer qualifications and drawing requirements, while discussing how off-site fabrication can challenge our current practices of code enforcement. The session also covers modular-specific inspection techniques as the building transitions from the factory floor to it’s completed state on site.

This presentation will provide a clear and practical overview of essential building science principles and how they apply to the retrofit of above-grade walls, basement walls, and roof assemblies using stone wool insulation. The session will focus on how to design retrofit strategies that enhance energy performance, thermal comfort, and durability, while minimizing the risk of condensation and mold growth.

Navigating AI in building inspections and reviews

Join John and Leo for their annual review of significant court decisions, recent legislation and other matters of interest to building officials.

Updates from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Staff