HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

1 Section 1 of the Building Act, S.B.C. 2015, c. 2, is amended by adding the following definitions:

"adaptable dwelling units" means the same as in the British Columbia Building Code Regulation;

"CSA B651-18" means the National Standard of Canada CAN/CSA-B651-18 Accessible Design for the Built Environment published in November 2018 by the Canadian Standards Association, as amended from time to time;

"visitable" means designed in accordance with section 3 (5) (b) for the purpose of allowing access by persons who use mobility aids;

2 Section 3 is amended by adding the following subsections:

(5) The minister must make regulations that require new housing developments with multiple units to:

(a) have a minimum ratio of homes that

(i) are adaptable dwelling units, where a unit has a single floor, and

(ii) meet the requirements set out in CSA B651-18, where a unit has more than one floor; and

(b) be visitable with

(i) at least one entrance flush to the floor of the unit,

(ii) all doors having a minimum, clear width of 815 millimetres when measured from the doorstop to the face of the door when open at a right angle, and

(iii) one accessible bathroom on the main floor of the building.

(6) The minister may confer, in writing, the authority to verify compliance with regulations made under subsection (5) to a person or an organization.

Commencement

3 This Act comes into force on the date of Royal Assent.

Explanatory Notes

SECTION 1: [Building Act, section 1] adds definitions.

SECTION 2: [Building Act, section 3]

• adds accessibility requirements in respect of certain new housing developments;
• adds authority for the minister to authorize a person or an organization to verify compliance with the accessibility requirements under section 3 (5), as proposed by this Bill.