Policy Areas & Initiatives

Ontario Building Code Review Working Group

OSPE’s Ontario Building Code Review Working Group will provide independent, evidence-based engineering advice to the Government of Ontario during its review of the Ontario Building Code (OBC). The Working Group will ensure that engineering expertise shapes the OBC’s direction by proactively identifying gaps and advancing the recommendations of practicing engineers whose daily work is shaped by the Ontario Building Code.

Key Objectives

By drawing on technical expertise from structural, mechanical, electrical, environmental, and civil engineering disciplines, the OBC Review Working Group is ensuring that the Ontario Building Code modernization prioritizes public safety, climate resilience, innovation, affordability, and long-term infrastructure performance.

The OBC Review Working Group is focused on seven strategic priorities:

Supporting housing delivery and affordability by removing unintended barriers and enabling new building
Strengthening public safety and the role of licensed professional engineers in code compliance
Enabling innovation and future readiness to use emerging materials, such as mass timber, and new construction methods, like modular building
Harmonizing Ontario’s requirements with the National Building Code to reduce inconsistencies and variations
Assessing gaps and systemic risks in the current OBC relative to climate, decarbonization, and innovation needs
Advancing climate resilience by integrating flood, heat, wind, and wildfire performance criteria
Accelerating decarbonization and electrification-ready construction

Key Objectives

The OBC Review Working Group is focused on seven strategic priorities:

Supporting housing delivery and affordability by removing unintended barriers and enabling new building
Strengthening public safety and the role of licensed professional engineers in code compliance
Enabling innovation and future readiness to use emerging materials, such as mass timber, and new construction methods, like modular building
Harmonizing Ontario’s requirements with the National Building Code to reduce inconsistencies and variations
Assessing gaps and systemic risks in the current OBC relative to climate, decarbonization, and innovation needs
Advancing climate resilience by integrating flood, heat, wind, and wildfire performance criteria
Accelerating decarbonization and electrification-ready construction

Shrini Avula, P.Eng.

Working Group Chair

Sasha Harpe is the Civil and Rail Department Head for Tri Innovations. He has been working in railway engineering since graduating from Toronto Metropolitan University (previously Ryerson University) in 2013. As a railway engineer, Sasha holds licenses across Canada and is an active member of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association (AREMA) where he contributes to the development of the North American design standards for railways.

Sasha has supported both the Toronto Metropolitan University and the University of Alberta’s railway engineering through the sponsorship of capstone projects and guest lectures. Sasha is currently working with OSPE to identify the best paths to improve inter-provincial engineering mobility and pan Canadian licensure.