Charlottetown council looks to adopt latest version of National Building Code
Builders in Charlottetown could soon have new rules to follow as the city moves to adopt the latest National Building Code.
Planning committee chairman Coun. Greg Rivard said there are about 1,000 apartment units to be approved to be built in Charlottetown and some developers are waiting for the city to make the change before they start construction.
“So, with the need for that type of housing, the city is moving forward with adopting the new building code,” he said.
Charlottetown council voted during Tuesday’s regular monthly meeting on a resolution to adopt the 2015 National Building Code, which is the latest version.
The resolution passed first reading with all six councillors present voting in favour of the resolution.
Under the current building code bylaw, Charlottetown uses the 2010 National Building Code.
If the resolution passes, there will be a four-month transition period from Nov. 1 to Feb. 28, 2019.
During that time, anyone applying for a permit can decide to have it fall under the 2010 or 2015 version of the building code.
The bylaw will be repealed if the provincial government adopts province-wide building code legislation.
Rivard said the city talked to the provincial government about bringing forward the adoption of the latest version of the code at the same time, but the province wouldn’t be doing it this fall.
“The city just didn’t want to wait,” he said.
With so many units waiting to be built and developers saying they want the new code in place before they start building it was urgent for the city to move forward, Rivard said.
A low number of available rental units in Charlottetown has left many people struggling to find affordable places to live as the city’s vacancy rate sits below one per cent.
Rivard said those 1,000 units waiting to be built will help with that.
“That’s a great number, hopefully to increase that less than one per cent variance rate, which of course in the end will help with rents and cost of living,” Rivard said.