The 2024 BC Building Code was poised to be released this December, but according to the BC government website, the release of the new building code has been postponed and will be done in two separate phases.
The latest news on December 5, 2023, from the BC government is that the new BC Building Code is to take effect on March 8, 2024, except for the adaptable dwellings and earthquake changes, which would take effect on March 10, 2025.
The earthquake changes mentioned to come into effect on March 10, 2025, will likely be a significant change to the current code. The National Building Code is usually adopted with some adaptation to suit BC, forming the BC Building code. The current National Building Code has changed the method in which engineers should calculate seismic loads. In the past two iterations of the BC Building Code there have been slight changes in this methodology but not to the extent the latest National Building Code has been written.
This together with the latest discovery of a newly discovered fault line situated on the Saanich Peninsula gives cause for concern. It’s easy to understand why it is believed that seismic requirements especially in the southern Vancouver Island region will likely become more stringent.
How much more stringent is unfortunately something we will have to wait to find out. It appears that the statement “It’ll never be cheaper to build than it is right now” is especially true.
Having an engineer on board who understands the code requirements for the type of structure your project houses to ensure that your building adheres to code requirements while remaining economically viable is becoming increasingly essential.
Kyle Engineering is well suited to ensure that your project adheres to suitable code requirements. We strive to ensure that engineering solutions are as cost effective as possible. For more information specific to your project, contact Kyle Engineering to speak with one of our engineers.