As part of Red Tape Awareness Week, our government supported the long-term, sustainable growth of the agricultural sector by removing unnecessary regulatory requirements on the construction of farm buildings, in order to make it easier and less expensive to construct new farm buildings. The current Manitoba Farm Building Code will be repealed and an amendment will be made to the Manitoba Building Code to add specific provisions for farm buildings, reducing the red tape burden on those planning to build new farm buildings, while still ensuring appropriate rules will be in place related to occupant safety and fire prevention. This code is impractical and costly. I am pleased to see that Manitoba will be moving forward with common-sense changes to the Manitoba Building Code that more closely align with other Western Canadian jurisdictions, which will ensure appropriate protective measures are in place that also reflect the unique issues related to farm buildings and the farming industry.
These changes help landowners renew the livestock industry and allow producers to build new barns and modernize existing ones. The new provisions also will be part of a single regulation, eliminating the need to revise multiple regulations every time new versions of the National Building Code are adopted. Building code requirements will apply to all farm buildings over 600 square metres and key changes that will apply to farm buildings include: Establishing a ‘low-human occupancy’ building classification for most types of farm buildings, which will recognize lower risks by reducing additional regulatory requirements for items like full fire alarm systems; Focusing on ways to prevent fires from spreading to neighboring buildings, while still allowing these low-human occupancy buildings to be grouped together to meet operational needs; Applying only structural requirements for unenclosed farm buildings used for hay storage or livestock shelters; Removing requirements for fire-rated separations in high-humidity environments where the building materials are unsuitable, or in areas where animals are likely to cause damage to them; Providing more options to meet entrance and exit requirements; Allowing flexibility in the direction of door swing to meet operational needs; Allowing flexibility in requirements related to covering foamed plastic insulation in high-humidity vegetable storage facilities such as potato storage sheds; and Adjusting emergency lighting requirements to be responsive to the needs of poultry and egg producers.
Manitoba’s Office of the Fire Commissioner, which oversees building code matters, confirmed an order-in-council has been passed and the new regulations are now in effect. Building codes and other related standards are overseen by Manitoba’s Office of the Fire Commissioner, for more information, visit www.firecomm.gov.mb.ca.
