International Code Council Earns Accreditation to Develop Canadian National Standards

The International Code Council recently received accreditation from the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), the national standards body of Canada. SCC is well respected in Canada and around the world and consistently delivers high-quality and rigorous accreditation services. Since 1970, SCC has been a leader and Canada’s voice on standards and accreditation on the national and international stage.

This new accreditation places the Code Council among a select group of organizations that contribute to the development of the National Standards of Canada for the benefit of Canadians.

“This accreditation by SCC marks a significant milestone in our journey to provide our stakeholders options and enhance our ability to achieve our mission of safety, sustainability and affordability through building science,” said Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO. “It reinforces our commitment to providing the information, tools and resources that our members rely on, building safety professionals turn to and the public trusts.” 

International Code Council Presence in Canada

The Code Council has a strong presence in Canada, with three provincial building associations having Code Council chapter status and many Canadian building safety professionals participating in Code Council membership councils and accessing Code Council training. 

The Code Council continues its collaboration with Canadian building code research and development organizations and Canadian standards developers to share information and create standards in areas of mutual interest. In 2018, the Code Council and the Canadian Standards Association published the joint standard CSA ICC 805—Rainwater Harvesting Systems, which was updated in December 2022.

SEE RELATED: Updated Rainwater Harvesting Standard: Conserving Water for the Long Run 

Additionally, the Code Council works closely with Accessibility Standards Canada, which is developing national accessibility rules for buildings based in part on ICC A117.1-2017 Standard for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities.

SEE RELATED: The International Code Council and Accessibility Standards Canada Collaborate to Increase Building Accessibility

For many years, the Code Council has had a strong working relationship with the National Research Council of Canada, which conducts important research on building safety and resiliency issues, including leading the world in research on the implications of climate change on the built environment.

The Code Council and NRC have engaged in both the Global Resiliency Dialogue and the Inter-Jurisdictional Regulatory Collaboration Committee, two joint initiatives that discuss emergent issues and solutions to challenges in building regulation. The Canadian Building Code is available through the Code Council’s Digital Codes platform.

Canadian organizations, including the Association of Canadian Building Officials Associations, the Ontario Building Officials Association and the Building Officials Association of British Columbia have participated in the Building Safety Month campaign, raising awareness of the importance of building safety and the work of building safety professionals throughout Canada.

The ICC Conformity Assessment Group which consists of ICC-ES and ICC NTA has been accredited by SCC for years and has a very comprehensive accreditation scope which includes product certification in the areas of building, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas, manufactured homes, as well as trailers, caravans and RVs.

To view the updated SCC’s Accreditation Directory, click here.