Emergency Preparedness

July 4, 2025 Published by Golden Horseshoe Chapter - By Jason Reid

Fire Safety in Townhome Communities: A Shared Responsibility

From the Volume 24, Summer 2025 issue of the CCI GHC Condo News Magazine

In Ontario, fire safety obligations are not limited to high-rise buildings. While townhome-style condominium communities may not always require a formal Fire Safety Plan (FSP) under the Ontario Fire Code, they are not exempt from compliance requirements. In fact, many of the same responsibilities that apply to taller residential structures still apply in these lower-density communities — just in slightly different ways.

Unfortunately, there is a common misconception, “We don’t need a Fire Safety Plan, so we don’t need to do inspections.” This can leave townhome communities exposed to unnecessary risk.

The Ontario Fire Code, the Occupiers’ Liability Act, and the Occupational Health & Safety Act all impose obligations on condominium corporations to maintain a safe environment for residents, workers, and visitors — regardless of building type.

The Manager and Board’s Role in Compliance

While day-to-day responsibilities for risk management fall to the Licensed Condominium Manager, Superintendent, and on-site Security personnel, the ultimate accountability for legal compliance—including fire code inspections, health and safety obligations, and occupiers’ liability—rests with the Corporation. Compliance must be maintained consistently, regardless of staff changes or management transitions.

Condominium managers and boards play a crucial role in ensuring compliance. Together, they must create and maintain internal programs that fulfill fire safety responsibilities even in the absence of a formal Fire Safety Plan. These programs should include structured inspection routines, documentation practices, resident education efforts, and ongoing maintenance.

One of the most important actions a condominium corporation can take is establishing an internal inspection program. Routine checks of common areas, mechanical rooms, extinguishers, emergency lighting, and fire routes should be conducted on a regular schedule — weekly, monthly, and annually, depending on the component. These inspections should be performed by staff or vendors, classified as “internal” and “external” inspections, both who understand the requirements and can properly identify safety concerns.

Just as important as conducting inspections is keeping proper documentation. If a fire or incident occurs and no written records exist, the corporation may find itself in a vulnerable legal position — even if the work is done. Keeping inspection checklists, deficiency logs, and communication records provides defensible evidence of the corporation’s due diligence.

To address these common gaps in documentation, Boards and management teams are looking to integrate inspection technology, to allow their condominium staff to accurately capture all the hard work they do every day to keep their communities safe and streamline operational checks and tests.

MenRes Property Management oversees a vast portfolio of residential condominiums in the GTA. They have launched a cost-effective solution to not only track these efforts but enable the corporation to call up proof of compliance – in seconds.

“Many of our townhome communities require weekly and monthly code required internal inspections and tests, and we have deployed an innovative mobile app that allows us to assign these important checks, complete with reminders and automatic escalation protocols right in the app,” said Sarah Campbell, Vice President, Condominium Operations.

For MenRes, the Safe Buildings platform was introduced as a proactive, long-term, inexpensive solution, that is a secure, mobile-based app, enabling the condominium corporation to centralize compliance documentation, automate inspection reminders, and establish reliable, time-stamped records of key tasks specific to the communities needs and resources.

Manager and Building Staff Training

Investing in fire safety training for building staff goes beyond compliance—it delivers measurable returns in operational efficiency, risk reduction, and long-term cost savings. Trained staff can identify and address potential hazards before they escalate, reducing maintenance issues and liability risks. Their confidence in emergency procedures not only ensures a safer environment for residents and first responders but also minimizes downtime during incidents and fosters trust within the community.

By empowering staff with the knowledge and skills to act effectively, building owners can protect their assets, enhance their reputation, and contribute to a culture of safety and preparedness.

“This trust between our community and building teams is key,” said Melody Roche, General Manager, MenRes Property Management.

“Our buildings are only as strong as the team that supports them. Our manager and building staff training program was an investment in both life safety and professional development—ensuring our staff are not only prepared to implement the Fire Safety Plan, but are also growing as confident, capable leaders in critical situations,” said Melody.

Resident Education: A Shared Responsibility

Educating residents is another key piece of compliance for all residential buildings, including townhomes. Many safety hazards originate inside individual units — especially in townhome settings where garages, balconies, or private HVAC systems are present.

Residents need to understand safe storage practices (such as not storing propane indoors), how to test and maintain their smoke and CO alarms, and what to do during an emergency. A simple seasonal newsletter or welcome package with these reminders can go a long way.

Many condominium corporations, under the advice of the condominium management team, are hosting an educational session for their communities, or preparing resident community safety guides in an attempt to educate residents on the life safety systems and components installed at their townhomes. These sessions and guides, serve to provide clear, concise communication of emergency procedures and fire prevention opportunities to best prepare their community – in advance of the next fire or alarm.

No matter how a corporation communicates this important information, it should be done and documented as part of the condominium corporations commitment to community safety.

Looking Ahead: 2026 Fire Code Changes

The landscape of fire code compliance is also changing. New Ontario Fire Code amendments coming into effect in January 2026 will introduce enhanced requirements for residential properties of all types. These changes will include:

• More stringent documentation standards
• Requirements for monthly door inspections
• Expanded obligations for carbon monoxide detection and alarm placement.
• S1001 - New integrated testing of building systems

Even if your community is not subject to these changes today, Boards and managers should stay informed by attending code update briefings, consulting with local fire departments, or engaging with compliance experts.

A sincere thank you to industry-leading organizations such as the Canadian Condominium Institute – Golden Horseshoe Chapter (CCI-GHC) for their continued leadership in raising awareness around important issues like fire safety, risk management, and regulatory compliance in condominium communities.

Driven by a team of dedicated volunteers, CCI-GHC plays a vital role in educating Boards, managers, and industry professionals—helping to build safer, better-informed communities across Ontario. Your efforts make a meaningful and measurable difference.

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Jason Reid is President & Senior Advisor for National Life Safety Group, a Fire Engineering firm in Toronto, Canada, specializing in integrating Fire / Building Code, Safety, and Emergency Management solutions, supporting risk and operational management initiatives in mission-critical workplaces, complex buildings and portfolio wide programs.