The Government of British Columbia has announced that the British Columbia Fire Services Act will be undergoing its most significant update since 1979.
It will be replaced with the Fire Safety Act, which will:
- introduce a new risk-based model for fire code compliance monitoring, allowing local authorities to allocate fire prevention and inspection forces where fire risk is highest
- allow municipalities to appoint fire safety personnel to conduct fire inspections, investigations and evacuations
- establish a new administrative enforcement model to respond to non-compliance in a more timely and effective manner
The new Act was developed after a lengthy consultation process with stakeholders and the culmination of ideas and feedback gathered from prior initiatives to modernize the legislation. The most recent consultation included the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, Local Government Management Association, the Fire Chiefs’ Association, Fire Training Officers Association, Fire Prevention Officers Association of BC, Volunteer Fire Fighters’ Association of BC, BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Association, and Wildfire Management Branch.
For more information on insurance and risk-related matters, please contact a CapriCMW Risk Advisor.
