Update Announcement
The proposal was originally published on December 21, 2022 with the comment period ending on February 3, 2033. On February 1, 2023 the comment period was extended to February 17, 2023.
This consultation was open from:
December 21, 2022
to February 17, 2023
Decision summary
The Ministry is proceeding with enhancements and operational changes to Ontario’s Qualification Program by allowing the use of the Ministry’s digital Building Code during qualification exams, and allowing candidates more time per question. No decisions have been made at this time about the potential design-based changes proposed for the program.
Decision details
To help build more homes faster and reach the province’s goal of building 1.5 million homes by 2031, the government is moving forward with operational changes that would provide a fairer assessment of a candidate’s Ontario Building Code knowledge during exams. These changes will also encourage more individuals to enter the sector through improving exam success that will result in more qualified building practitioners in Ontario supporting the achievement of government’s housing supply commitments.
All candidates will be given the option to use the digital Building Code during qualification exams, or to continue to use the hardcopy version. Humber College will provide access to the digital version of the Compendium at the beginning of each exam. This change will allow for more emphasis on testing one’s understanding and knowledge of the Code, rather than testing one’s ability to navigate and manually find Code references in a 2,300-page hardcopy version.
Candidates will also be provided more time per question within each qualification exam to allow more time to better showcase their Building Code knowledge. Candidates will be required to answer 70 questions within the 3-hour time period, rather than the previous 75. This approach will provide candidates more opportunity to consider and develop responses that more accurately reflect their Building Code knowledge. Details and timing of this new approach will be communicated in the near future on the ministry’s and Humber College’s websites.
In addition, as part of this consultation, we heard broad support from respondents on the need to enhance the design of the Qualifications Program. While no decisions have been made on proposed design changes, the ministry will continue to consult on these areas with the public and key stakeholders to determine future improvements.
Effects of consultation
Consultation feedback indicated broad support for the enhancement to the Qualification Program for building practitioners.
- Most stakeholders support modernizing the exam process to help bring new practitioners into the field with the tools needed to succeed, such as use of the digital Building Code and allowing more time per question during exams, while some outlined concerns with changes to the number of exam questions.
- Feedback received on the proposed design changes to the program were broader in scope, diverse and complex, and will require further analysis and consultation to determine a path forward.
- While no decisions have been made about the proposed design changes to the Qualification Program, the ministry will consider future enhancements, including mandatory training for new entrants to the field, alternate ways of entering the sector, restructuring exams to streamline the qualification process and knowledge maintenance requirements.
We are committed to continued engagement with our sector partners and the public to receive their feedback on how to further enhance the Qualification Program while ensuring public health and safety standards are protected.
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
777 Bay Street, 16th floor
Toronto,
ON
M5G 2E5
Canada
Connect with us
Contact
buildingtransformation@ontario.ca
12th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto,
ON
M7A 2J3
Canada
Original proposal
Proposal details
This discussion paper outlines opportunities for change and includes questions to obtain your input on potential new approaches to enhance the ministry’s Qualification Program for building practitioners.
The Building Code, 2012 is a regulation under the Building Code Act, 1992, that is implemented and enforced by Ontario’s municipalities and a variety of building industry stakeholders. Over the years, Ontario’s Building Code has become an increasingly complex and sophisticated regulation. It is imperative that Building Code knowledge and how it is assessed keeps pace with these changes, to ensure that public safety in the design and construction of buildings is upheld.
Ontario’s building officials and other stakeholders in the sector have raised the need for more support from the ministry to improve its ability to understand, implement, and enforce the Building Code. Understanding this and acknowledging the low exam pass rates experienced by candidates, the ministry recently retained a consultant to help examine the Qualification Program for building practitioners (which includes building officials, designers, septic installers and Registered Code Agencies). A broad spectrum of building industry stakeholders engaged in this review process and programs in other jurisdictions were assessed to identify potential changes for Ontario’s current program model. The findings from this review suggest that changes to the program would support a fairer assessment a candidates’ knowledge, improve examination success, help maintain practitioners maintain knowledge of the Building Code, and build long-term capacity within the industry to further improve public safety.
Building on this review, we are interested in your thoughts on actions we can take on the following: operational changes within the current program framework; and design changes that could create a new framework for the Qualification Program.
Public consultation is an important part of developing legislation, regulations and policy in Ontario. By providing your feedback on this consultation paper, you can help the ministry with its next steps to enhance its Qualification Program; a program that currently includes over 7,000 building practitioners across the province.
Please refer to the attached Discussion Paper to review questions related to the six operational and design changes being proposed.
Your input will help inform future enhancements to the program that could be implemented both in the short- and longer-term.
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
777 Bay Street, 12th floor
Toronto,
ON
M5G 2E5
Canada
Comment
Commenting is now closed.
This consultation was open from December 21, 2022
to February 17, 2023
Connect with us
Contact
buildingtransformation@ontario.ca
12th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto,
ON
M7A 2J3
Canada
Comments received
Through the registry
40By email
33By mail
0