Ontario has opened a comprehensive review of the provincial building code that could reach the fenestration provisions governing energy performance, air tightness and glazing requirements. The Building Code Short-Term Advisory Body, chaired by former Vaughan chief building official Leo Grellette, was created to identify unnecessary complexity, delays and costs that can hinder construction, according to a Fenestration Review report on the committee’s consultation paper. Public consultation runs until Aug. 14, and the committee has a one-year term. For glazing contractors and manufacturers, that makes the review a must-watch process even though the province has not proposed specific code changes yet.
\n\nWhat the review is meant to do
\n\nThe Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing established the advisory body on behalf of the Building Code Short-Term Advisory Body, according to the Environmental Registry of Ontario. The review’s stated aim is to “reduce unnecessary costs, delays, complexity, and administrative burden, while maintaining health, safety, accessibility, and performance outcomes.” The registry adds that Ontario’s Building Code is a large and highly technical regulation, and that stakeholders have raised concerns that some requirements may be unnecessarily complex, difficult to interpret, outdated, duplicative, or inconsistent with requirements in other parts of Canada.
\n\nThe committee members named by Fenestration Review include:
\n- \n
- Leo Grellette, chair and former chief building official for the City of Vaughan; \n
- Paul De Berardis, vice-president of Building Standards and Engineering at RESCON; \n
- Michael Seiling, chief building official for the City of Kitchener; \n
- Stephen Wong, chair of the Building Code Commission; \n
- Douglas Tarry, a homebuilder from St. Thomas, Ont. \n
The consultation paper promises a section-by-section review of the code to remove duplication, conflicts and unnecessary regulation, with the goal of streamlining building approvals, according to Fenestration Review. The committee has a one-year term.
\n\nWhy fenestration could be in scope
\n\nThe Environmental Registry of Ontario posting states that the review may consider Ontario Building Code requirements related to environmental performance, including energy efficiency and other environmental objectives. It also says no regulatory changes are being proposed through this consultation; the purpose is to gather information and perspectives that may inform future recommendations and policy development. For glazing contractors, that means the current Ontario Building Code window, door and skylight provisions remain in place for now, but the review could shape how those provisions are written and enforced in a future code cycle.
\n\nThe registry is seeking feedback on provisions that are outdated, duplicative, overly prescriptive, or no longer proportionate to risk, as well as opportunities to simplify, streamline, consolidate or remove requirements while maintaining or improving health, safety, accessibility and performance outcomes. It also points to alignment with the National Construction Codes and Ontario’s obligations, but only where opportunities for burden reduction through further harmonization arise.
\n\nWhat glazing professionals should watch
\n\nThe consultation invites public comment from municipalities, building officials, designers, builders, manufacturers, industry organizations, accessibility organizations and other interested parties. For fenestration manufacturers and installers, the harmonization item is significant because Ontario’s window and door provisions are administered alongside national model codes and Canadian standards such as CSA A440, the North American Fenestration Standard and ENERGY STAR Canada. Whether any of those references change depends on recommendations that have not yet been made.
\n\nA consultation paper prepared by the advisory body includes specific questions to guide responses, but the Environmental Registry of Ontario notes that respondents do not need to answer every question. They may provide comments on any Building Code issues, opportunities, risks or practical examples they believe should be considered as part of the review.
\n\nHow feedback will be used
\n\nFeedback received through the consultation will help inform the work of the Building Code Advisory Body and may contribute to future recommendations to the minister regarding potential Building Code changes, according to the Environmental Registry of Ontario. Any future regulatory proposals would be subject to separate government decision-making processes and, where required, additional public consultation.
\n\nThe public comment period opened July 15, 2026 and closes Aug. 14, according to the Environmental Registry of Ontario. Fenestration Review reports the committee has a one-year term. That timeframe gives the industry a limited window to submit evidence-based comments on fenestration provisions that add cost or complexity without improving performance. The province has not set out which specific code sections will change, and no thresholds or dates have been announced.
\n\nFor glazing contractors, the current review is the moment to put forward practical, feasible and evidence-based ideas for fenestration requirements. The Environmental Registry of Ontario says the review is intended to reduce compliance costs and improve clarity and usability of the code. Citing Canadian standards such as CSA A440 and the North American Fenestration Standard in submissions can help the advisory body compare Ontario’s approach with national model codes, but any proposed change will have to clear separate government decision-making processes later.
\n\nNext steps for the industry
\n\nThe Ontario Building Code review is still in its information-gathering phase. No regulatory changes are being proposed through this consultation, and the advisory body has not released a schedule for potential code amendments. Glazing contractors and manufacturers that want to influence the outcome should review the consultation paper and submit comments through the Environmental Registry of Ontario by Aug. 14.
\n\nThe combination of a one-year advisory term, an open comment period and a section-by-section review puts fenestration performance rules on the table. Whether the final recommendations lead to revised air tightness, fenestration performance or installation requirements remains to be seen, but the process is now the clearest route for the industry to shape Ontario’s next generation of window and door provisions.