Short answer: most buildings in British Columbia. The BC Fire Code casts a wide net — and if your building falls under it, having an approved fire safety plan isn’t optional.
Here’s exactly who needs one, what the law says, and what happens if you don’t have one when the fire department comes knocking.
What BC Law Requires
The British Columbia Fire Code (Division B, Section 2.8.2.1) states that the owner of every building to which the Code applies shall prepare a fire safety plan.
The BC Fire Code applies to buildings governed by the BC Building Code — which covers nearly every occupied building in the province: residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, and assembly occupancies. If people sleep, work, shop, receive care, or gather in your building, there’s a strong chance a fire safety plan is legally required.
The only buildings generally exempt are single-family homes and small secondary suites — and even then, if those units are used for a regulated purpose (like a licensed daycare or care home), the exemption may not apply.
Building Types That Require a Fire Safety Plan
Multi-unit residential (Group C)
Apartment buildings, condominiums, and strata buildings with more than a certain number of units or stories. If you manage a 6-story condo tower in Burnaby or a 20-unit walk-up in Vancouver, you need a fire safety plan.
Commercial and retail (Group E)
Strip malls, retail stores, shopping centres, and mixed-use commercial buildings. If you own or manage a commercial property in Surrey — even a neighbourhood strip mall — a fire safety plan is required. See our case study from 108th Avenue Surrey.
Offices and business occupancies (Group D)
Office buildings, medical clinics, professional services. The building owner is responsible — not the individual tenants.
Industrial and warehouse (Group F)
Manufacturing facilities, warehouses, and storage buildings — especially those handling hazardous materials.
Institutional (Group B)
Care homes, assisted living facilities, group homes, correctional facilities. These buildings have the strictest fire safety requirements of any occupancy class. Evacuation procedures for non-ambulatory residents require specific, detailed protocols.
Assembly (Group A)
Restaurants, bars, places of worship, theatres, community centres, gyms, schools. Any building where people gather in significant numbers.
Hotels and motels (Group C — transient occupancy)
Any building providing sleeping accommodation to the public — including short-term rental buildings that operate as de facto hotels.
Construction sites
Active construction sites above a certain size in BC are also required to have a fire safety plan on site. See our construction fire safety plan case study from Harvie Road, Surrey.
What About Strata Corporations?
Strata corporations occupy a grey area that catches many councils off guard. Under BC’s Strata Property Act and the BC Fire Code, the strata corporation — not individual unit owners — is responsible for fire safety in common areas and for the building as a whole.
This means the strata council (or its property manager) is responsible for ensuring an approved fire safety plan is in place, that a Fire Safety Director is named, and that the plan is kept current. Many stratas discover this only after a fire inspection — at which point they’re already out of compliance.
We regularly work with strata property managers across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley to get compliant plans in place quickly.
What Happens If You Don’t Have One?
The BC Fire Code is enforced by local fire departments. Inspectors have authority to:
- Issue an order to obtain a fire safety plan
- Set a compliance deadline (often 30–60 days)
- Issue fines for continued non-compliance
- In serious cases, restrict occupancy
Beyond the legal risk, there’s a practical one: if a fire occurs in a building without an approved fire safety plan, liability exposure for the building owner is significant. Insurance carriers increasingly ask for fire safety plan documentation as part of commercial property coverage.
The cost of being out of compliance is always higher than the cost of getting compliant.
Not Sure If Your Building Qualifies?
If you’re unsure whether your building requires a fire safety plan under the BC Fire Code, we can tell you quickly. We’ve assessed hundreds of buildings across BC — from single-floor medical offices to 30-story residential towers.
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GetFirePlan.com — BC’s fire safety plan specialists. One flat fee. Approval guaranteed.