This national public review runs from October 26 to December 21, 2026.

The Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes (CBHCC) invites code users, the Codes community, and the public to participate in the fall 2026 public review of proposed changes to the 2025 editions of the National Model Codes. The proposed changes included in this public review address the following topics:

National Building Code of Canada

  • Accessibility
  • Building fire safety
  • Conformity assessment
  • Defined terms
  • Energy efficiency for houses
  • Environmental separation
  • Fire alarm and detection systems
  • Greenhouse gas emissions
  • Heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems
  • Performance compliance
  • Piping and duct insulation
  • Radon and soil gas mitigation
  • Structural design (Part 9)
  • Updates to referenced documents

National Fire Code of Canada

  • Flammable and combustible liquids
  • Hazardous processes and operations
  • Piping and transfer systems
  • Storage of combustible products and dangerous goods
  • Updates to referenced documents

National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings

  • Conformity assessment
  • Defined terms
  • Service water heating
  • Updates to referenced documents

National Plumbing Code of Canada

  • Conformity assessment
  • Drainage systems
  • Plumbing
  • Potable water systems
  • Updates to referenced documents

See the summary of key proposed changes below for more details.

The purpose of this public review is to:

  • provide code users, the Codes community, and the public with a detailed look at proposed technical changes, and
  • seek comment on each proposed technical change as to whether it should be approved, altered or withdrawn.

The public review will close at 11:59 pm PT on December 21, 2026, after which comments will no longer be accepted.

The result of the public review process is a collection of comments on proposed code changes. The comments are sorted and analyzed by Codes Canada staff who are familiar with the development of the proposed changes, and who develop a draft resolution to each comment. The draft resolutions are validated by the responsible code development committees, which form the recommendations to the CBHCC.

The recommendations could be one of the following:

  • approve for publication,
  • revise for publication,
  • defer publication pending further development – subject to subsequent public review, or
  • withdraw proposed code change.

The CBHCC decides which changes will be published in the next edition of the National Model Codes based on the recommendations of the code development committees.

Steps for submitting comments on proposed changes

Step 1: Read the guidelines for writing comments.
Step 2: Read the instructions for submitting comments.
Step 3: Read the proposed changes.
Step 4: If you have a comment, click the “Submit a comment” link located at the beginning of each proposed change, which will take you to the online comment form. Only comment forms that are submitted online will be accepted.

You may submit other related documents, such as reports, by email or mail.

Important: Submit one comment form per proposed change. If you are commenting on more than one proposed change, use a separate form for each one.

Thank you for contributing to the development of the National Model Codes.

Important links:

National Building Code of Canada (NBC)

Simplification of the framework for accessibility in buildings intended for public use (Part 3)

Simplifies the framework in NBC Subsection 3.8.3. to provide one set of minimum requirements for the design of Part 3 and Part 9 public buildings, and updates references to the latest (2023) edition of CSA/ASC B651.

Active side-wall radon stack (Part 9)

Adds the option of an active side-wall radon stack as a means of meeting the minimum requirements for radon mitigation in dwelling units and home-type care occupancies that have a floor assembly in contact with the ground.

Roof load transfer to braced wall panels (Part 9)

Clarifies requirements regarding the transfer of loads between the roof structure and braced wall panels.

Energy modeling rules for heat pumps (Part 9)

Updates energy modeling rules for heat pumps for the reference house and Energy Performance Tier 1, and adds a percent heat loss reduction requirement for Tier 1.

Energy modeling software (Part 9)

Updates references to ANSI/ASHRAE 140-2023, adds a new Article on the acceptance criteria for testing of energy modeling software, and harmonizes terminology.

Energy Performance Tier 3 of the prescriptive path (Part 9)

Provides simple energy-efficiency requirements for compliance with Tier 3 through the prescriptive path.

Minimum energy-efficiency performance level (Part 9)

Simplifies compliance path options and sets Energy Performance Tier 1 as the minimum energy-efficiency performance level.

Minimum thermal resistance value for duct insulation (Part 9)

Increases the minimum thermal resistance (RSI) value for duct insulation.

New references to standards (Parts 3, 5, 6 and 9)

Adds new references to the following standards:

  • CAN/ULC-S142:2016, “Standard Method of Fire Test for Heat and Visible Smoke Release for Discrete Products” (Part 3)
  • ASTM C1278/C1278M-24, “Standard Specification for Fiber-Reinforced Gypsum Panel” (Parts 5 and 9)
  • CAN/ULC 743.1:2020, “Standard for Thermal Insulation – Low Pressure Applied Two Component Spray Polyurethane Foam, Part 1: Material Specification” (Parts 5 and 9)
  • CAN/ULC 743.2:2021, “Standard for Thermal Insulation – Low Pressure Applied Two Component Spray Polyurethane Foam, Part 2: Installation” (Parts 5 and 9)
  • CAN/ULC 588:2024A, “Gas and Vapour Detectors and Sensors, Including Accessories” (Parts 5, 6 and 9)
  • ANSI/AMCA 300-24, “Reverberation Room Methods of Sound Testing of Fans,” and ANSI/ASHRAE 51-25 (ANSI/AMCA 210-25), “Laboratory Methods of Testing Fans for Certified Aerodynamic Performance Rating,” to replace CAN/CSA-C260-M, “Rating the Performance of Residential Mechanical Ventilating Equipment” (Part 9)

National Fire Code of Canada (NFC)

Classification of water-miscible liquid mixtures (Part 4)

Updates the test method for and subsequent fire hazard classification of water-miscible liquid mixtures, and adds classifications for four additional mixtures.

New references to standards (Parts 4 and 5)

Adds new references to the following standards:

  • ANSI/CAN/UL/ULC 1369:2020, “Standard for Aboveground Piping for Flammable and Combustible Liquids” (Part 4)
  • ANSI/CAN/UL/ULC 2152:2021, “Special Purpose Nonmetallic Containers and Tanks for Specific Combustible or Noncombustible Liquids” (Part 4)
  • CAN/CSA-B138.1-17/CAN/CSA-B138.2-17, “Portable oil-burning equipment - Packaged equipment requirements/Installation requirements” (Part 5)

National Plumbing Code of Canada (NPC)

IAPMO Water Demand Calculator (Part 2)

Adds the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) Water Demand Calculator as an acceptable tool for the design of potable water systems.

Spacing of cleanouts in vertical drainage pipes (Part 2)

Introduces a requirement for the spacing of cleanouts in vertical stacks serving drainage systems, where provided.

New references to standards (Part 2)

Adds new references to the following standards:

  • ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014, “American National Standard for Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment”
  • ASME B16.51-2021, “Copper and Copper Alloy Press-Connect Pressure Fittings”
  • ASTM F3226/F3226M-19, “Standard Specification for Metallic Press-Connect Fittings for Pipe and Tubing Systems”
  • CSA B45.8:23/IAPMO Z403-2023, “Terrazzo, concrete, composite stone, and natural stone plumbing fixtures,” CSA B45.11:17/IAPMO Z401-2017, “Glass plumbing fixtures,” and CSA B45.12:23/IAPMO Z402-2023, “Aluminum and copper plumbing fixtures,” to replace CAN/CSA-B45 Series, “Plumbing Fixtures”
  • IAPMO/ANSI/CAN Z1117-2022, “Standard for Press Connections”
  • NSF/ANSI/CAN 372-2024, “Drinking Water System Components – Lead Content”

NBC, NFC and National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings (NECB)

Conformity assessment (Part 1 of Division A and Part 2 of Division C)

Introduces provisions in Divisions A and C for the acceptance of Code conformity assessments issued by the Canadian Construction Materials Centre.

All National Model Codes

Updates to referenced documents

Updates certain documents referenced in the National Model Codes.

Combined proposed change forms are available in PDF file format

Fall 2026: Proposed changes to NBC 2025, NFC 2025, NECB 2025, and NPC 2025 – combined file (PDF – 23,710 KB)
Fall 2026: Proposed changes to NBC 2025, NFC 2025, NECB 2025, and NPC 2025 – supporting documents (PDF – 9,003 KB)