An Update on the C.S.S.A. National Building Code Project

The Canadian Self Storage Association is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Jonathan Atkins, B.Sc., B.Eng., P. Eng, and Managing Partner at Atkins + Van Groll Inc. as the Official Consultant to the C.S.S.A. for Building Code Issues in the Canadian Self Storage industry. Mr. Atkins will be retaining a Code Consultant to design and negotiate Code changes similar to Section 3.10 of the Ontario Building Code. These changes will be specific to the Self Storage Industry.

The C.S.S.A. Directors have been working closely with Mr. Atkins to create changes to the National Building Code to assist the Self Storage Industry. This will involve many discussions, meetings and submissions with the national regulators and research bodies that oversee the National Building Code, with the appointed Code Consultant present along with Mr. Atkins. The goal of this process is the submission of Proposed Code Changes by introducing a specific section for self storage buildings within the National Building Code. As of today, only Ontario’s Building Code allows for specific rules for self storage. Altering the National Building Code will greatly assist all other provinces. Every province relies on the National Building Code and these changes will make the development of self storage facilities simpler.

This is a multi-year, complicated and expensive project which is vital to the Self  Storage industry across Canada. With the guidance of Mr. Atkins and his committee this project is well under way and is expected to be completed and in place by January 2016. The projected cost of this endeavor over the next several years can be up to $60,000.

The overall response that we have received from C.S.S.A. Members so far has been tremendously positive as we can all see the advantage to putting this in place for all of the other provinces in Canada. The end result will of course make it easier and more cost effective for everyone in the self storage industry to build and expand their storage business. The estimated difference in cost to building a self storage facility in Ontario vs. the rest of Canada is approximately 20% less. This would mean that on a $3,000,000 project the cost savings can be as much as $600,000.

Through the support of all C.S.S.A. members, this project is being funded by C.S.S.A. Membership and Conference revenues.

For more information on this or any other C.S.S.A. Project, please feel free to Email: info@cssa.ca and of course by Telephone: 888-898-8538 and Fax: 519-941-0877.