MLA Review Committee on Secondary Suites

Transcription

1 Final Report MLA Review Committee on Secondary Suite Mr. Moe Amery, Chair MLA Calgary Eat Mr. Jon Lord, Chair (to November/04) MLA Calgary Currie

2 MLA Review Committee on Secondary Suite Executive Summary Member of the Committee are: Moe Amery, Chair MLA Calgary Eat Jon Lord, Chair MLA Calgary Currie (until November/04) Ed Gibbon Alberta Urban Municipalitie Aociation Eugene Wauter Alberta Aociation of Municipal Ditrict and Countie Avi Amir Safety Code Council Chri Tye Alberta Municipal Affair Ata Khan Alberta Municipal Affair Gordon Hannon & Chinwe Okelu Alberta Municipal Affair After conulting with Albertan and conidering the iue, the Committee make the following recommendation: Recommendation #1: Recommendation #3: Standard for econdary uite hould apply to both new and exiting home. Recommendation #4: Standard for econdary uite hould be developed to accommodate the goal of affordability, provided acceptable afety tandard are in place. Recommendation #5: The minimum height of room and pace hould be 1.95 m or 6 6. Recommendation #6: Each bedroom hould have at leat one outide window that can be opened from the inide. Standard for econdary uite hould be developed for ue in ingle-family home to addre the need for afety and affordability. Recommendation #2: Recommendation #7: There hould be no requirement for window in room other than in the bedroom. The government hould etablih provincewide tandard for econdary uite under the Alberta Building and Fire Code. Municipalitie would continue to have the choice to determine when and where econdary uite will be permitted. Recommendation #8: To protect the uite from the pread of fire, fire protection for the wall and ceiling hould be required. i

3 Recommendation #9: For the purpoe of life afety, interconnected moke alarm between the upper and lower uite hould be required for every home with a econdary uite. Recommendation #10: The furnace hould be encloed with fire eparation wall and ceiling. Recommendation #11: To enhance life afety, there hould be a eparate exit from the econdary uite to the outide. Recommendation #12: Heating and ventilation ytem hould meet appropriate afety requirement that recognize the difference between new home and exiting home ii

4 Table of Content Executive Summary... i Table of Content...iii Introduction... 1 The Safety Sytem... 2 Should tandard for econdary uite be developed for ue within a ingle-family home?... 3 Recommendation # How hould econdary uite be regulated in Alberta?... 4 Recommendation # Should the current tandard for apartment and duplexe continue to apply for new home?... 5 Recommendation # What requirement would provide an acceptable balance of afety and affordability?... 6 Recommendation # The appropriate height of room and pace... 7 Recommendation # Minimum ize of bedroom window... 8 Recommendation # Window requirement other than bedroom window... 9 Recommendation # Fire protection iii Recommendation #

5 Interconnected moke alarm Recommendation # Furnace room fire protection Recommendation # Independent exit from the uite Recommendation # Independent heating and ventilation ytem Recommendation # Concluding Comment Conultation Lit of Submiion and Contact Reource i

6 Introduction Thi report make recommendation to achieve our viion for providing afety tandard for econdary uite under the Alberta Building and Fire Code. A econdary uite, or a "baement or acceory uite i elf-contained living unit, including a kitchen, bathroom and a eparate exit created in a ingle-family home. Secondary uite are particularly common in major urban centre or in centre experiencing rapid population growth. Secondary uite are gaining more attention becaue thee uite can be an important ource of affordable rental and mall-unit houing. Currently, mot building code, including the National Building Code, require econdary uite in ingle-family home to be built according to apartment or duplex tandard. In effect, building code do not recognize the concept of a econdary uite a an affordable houing unit. To build or own a econdary uite that doe not meet the apartment or duplex tandard i a eriou breach of the law in Alberta; however, the rapid growth of econdary uite occurring throughout the province, and indeed the country, i undeniable. Two province, Ontario and Britih Columbia, have already changed their building code to recognize econdary uite. It i important to recognize that afety code in Alberta and throughout the world etablih minimum requirement. Thi mean that the tandard upport an acceptable level of afety for peron and property. afety tandard for econdary uite a a new type of living unit under the Alberta Building and Fire Code. Although the conultation indicated upport for recognizing econdary uite, everal iue were raied concerning afety, affordability, municipal zoning and technical conideration. In addition, the majority of the repone came from profeional code uer and did not provide a clear indication of public and municipal upport. To gain a clearer picture of the iue and concern for the public, municipalitie, homeowner, renter, apartment owner, ocial organization, elected official, fire ervice, the building indutry and many other intereted group, an MLA Committee wa etablihed including repreentation from government, municipal and indutry member. The Committee, chaired by Moe Amery, MLA for Calgary Eat, and Jon Lord, former MLA, Calgary Currie, held public and direct takeholder meeting in repreentative area throughout Alberta in 2003 and The Committee i alo reviewing ongoing reearch at the national and provincial level concerning the technical requirement in thi area. Thi final report highlight the iue raied and make recommendation to the Honourable Rob Renner, Miniter of Alberta Municipal Affair, for econdary uite tandard in Alberta. The proliferation of illegal econdary uite in Alberta a a reult of houing hortage and changing ocial and family condition renewed concern over the afety and affordability of thee uite. In 2002, Alberta Municipal Affair conducted an online public conultation on propoed

7 The Safety Sytem Alberta' afety ytem affect the home we live in, the building we work in, the elevator that carry u to work, the witche that turn on our light, the plumbing that bring u clean water to drink, the furnace that heat our home and the device that ave u from fire. For the mot part, the afety ytem work o well that we often take our building afety, efficiency and affordability for granted. The environment in which we live i, in part, a product of the code and tandard that govern our afety ytem. Appropriate code and tandard provide Albertan and their familie with confidence in the afety, and ecurity, of their environment. public repreentative that work in partnerhip with the government to make Alberta a afe and healthy place to live. The Council reponibilitie include the certification and training of afety inpector, the deignation (known a accreditation) of municipalitie, corporation and agencie that are qualified to provide afety ervice, and making recommendation on code and tandard to the Miniter of Alberta Municipal Affair. Alberta afety ytem i adminitered under the Safety Code Act. The Act regulate code and tandard for building, fire, plumbing, ga, electrical, private ewage ytem, boiler and preure veel, elevating device, amuement ride and ki lift. It alo provide acce and protection for peron with diabilitie in the built environment, and encourage the principle of barrier-free deign in all building. When the Act wa introduced in 1994, it brought about progreive and bold change that altered the way the afety ytem wa operated, managed, and adminitered. The Government of Alberta maintain the reponibility to coordinate and monitor the afe management of the afety ytem; however, recognizing that local authoritie were in the bet poition to provide ervice and addre local iue, municipalitie, corporation and agencie were given extenive authority and reponibility for the delivery of afety ervice. Change to code and tandard are made through the Safety Code Council, which then make recommendation to the Miniter. If the change are ubtantial, the Miniter will conult Albertan to enure code and tandard remain appropriate. In thi way, your afety ytem reflect the view of the public, indutry and government to enure that Alberta i ready to meet the challenge of the 21t century. A key to the ucce of managing Alberta' afety ytem wa the creation of the Safety Code Council to overee the development and adminitration of afety code and tandard. The Council conit of a broad range of indutry, buine, profeional and

8 3 Should tandard for econdary uite be developed for ue within a ingle-family home? Secondary uite in ingle-family home have gained attention becaue they provide an important ource of affordable rental accommodation; however, the growing demand for more affordable or alternative living pace i reulting in the contruction of illegal uite without conideration for building and fire afety or the health of the occupant. The true number of illegal and unafe econdary uite in Alberta i unknown, but municipalitie and afety official have identified the expanion of econdary uite a a major concern. Healthy, afe and affordable houing alternative are epecially important for enior, young familie, tudent and thoe on low or fixed income who have limited choice in today' houing market. Currently, there are no tandard in the Alberta Building Code for the contruction of econdary uite unle they are built like duplexe or apartment, yet the Building Code requirement for duplexe and apartment, particularly for older ingle-family home, are either very expenive or impoible to achieve without recontructing the home. To meet the exiting requirement: Affordable econdary uite may not be built or exiting uite may be forced to cloe; and The cot of meeting the current requirement would likely be paed onto the tenant, and thi cot would reduce the affordability of the uite. If current requirement are not met, the alternative i that econdary uite will continue to be developed illegally and without conideration for building and fire afety. Recommendation #1 Standard for econdary uite hould be developed for ue in ingle-family home to addre the need for afety and affordability. A a reult of the large number of illegal uite with potential afety concern and the over-extended houing market, tandard for econdary uite hould come into effect in the 2006 Alberta Building and Fire Code. The overwhelming repone in our conultation wa that econdary uite would provide afe and affordable houing, and i long overdue a a legal houing option. Other benefit included providing homeowner with additional ource of income, alternative accommodation for familie with aging parent or a mortgage helper for young couple, and encouraging greater population denity in communitie that might otherwie be in decline. Alberta i not alone in thi initiative. The province of Britih Columbia and Ontario have previouly recognized the need for alternative houing and adopted tandard for econdary uite. After conducting a urvey of major North American urban centre, the Canada Mortgage and Houing Corporation (CMHC) ha recommended that the National Building Code include requirement for econdary uite likely in

9 How hould econdary uite be regulated in Alberta? The legalizing of econdary uite would require amendment to the Alberta Building and Fire Code. Thee code provide for the afe contruction, renovation, demolition and maintenance of the building. Although building and fire code et the tandard, permiion to build econdary uite i a deciion for the municipality. Municipalitie may allow the development of econdary uite through land ue bylaw within it municipal limit; however, the municipality mut enforce the tandard in the code once econdary uite are permitted for ue. Recommendation #2 The government hould etablih province-wide tandard for econdary uite under the Alberta Building and Fire Code. Municipalitie would continue to have the choice to determine when and where econdary uite will be permitted. When it come to afety, Albertan expect to have uniform tandard on which they can rely. Thi will provide Albertan with a uniform afety tandard in every community, and it will recognize a need for alternative houing that i long overdue. The conultation clearly indicated that the government i expected to etablih afety tandard while the municipalitie et zoning requirement. Municipalitie are in the bet poition to make deciion about their communitie including iue of growth and zoning. The Committee recommend that municipalitie continue to have the choice to determine when and where econdary uite will be permitted. Accredited municipalitie alo have reponibility for the inpection of econdary uite and the enforcement of the tandard. They are alo reponible for determining the rule for community character and appearance uch a parking, wate torage and acce

10 Should the current tandard for apartment and duplexe continue to apply for new home? During our conultation, a number of quetion were raied concerning the ue of apartment and duplex tandard. Thee more onerou tandard are currently all that i available for econdary uite development. The current propoal from the Safety Code Council would retrict the ue of econdary uite tandard to exiting houing, while all new contruction would ue apartment/duplex tandard. The reaoning for thi propoal wa that all apartment/duplex contruction requirement could be planned for in a new home. On the other hand, an older home i often difficult and cotly to renovate to thee tandard and hould be treated differently. The Committee faced trong oppoition to retricting the ue of econdary uite tandard to exiting houing. The majority of repondent from all ector indicated that preventing the ue of econdary uite tandard for new home would undermine the goal of developing more affordable houing. There were alo eriou concern about the confuion for afety official and homeowner if there were different tandard for new and exiting home. Albertan clearly tated during the conultation that they hould have the choice to build either to an apartment/duplex tandard or to a econdary uite tandard, regardle of when the home wa built. Recommendation #3 Standard for econdary uite hould apply to both new and exiting home. Our deciion i baed on widepread public upport for a uniform tandard, the need to provide more affordable houing in new market, and the concern of municipal and afety official for a common-ene approach. A ingle tandard provide a more workable afety ytem for municipalitie to inpect and enforce. At the ame time, the public ha an expectation that rule for contructing their home will be traightforward and conitent. The public compliance with law i in part baed on the public belief in the credibility of the law. Provided minimum afety condition are in place, we believe a uniform and common-ene approach i fundamental to the ucceful development of econdary uite

11 What requirement would provide an acceptable balance of afety and affordability? The mot important objective in developing tandard for econdary uite i the afety of Albertan. Propoed tandard for everal feature uch a kitchen ventilation, wahroom, height and pacing of tair rail, ize of exit door and o forth would be the ame a thoe requirement for apartment and duplexe. Recommendation #4 Standard for econdary uite hould be developed to accommodate the goal of affordability, provided acceptable afety tandard are in place. An important theme throughout the conultation wa a need to provide tandard that were economically feaible. Stakeholder indicated throughout the conultation that if tandard for econdary uite were developed without including the principle of affordability, the number of illegal and unafe uite would increae to unmanageable level. Reearch of other Canadian and foreign juridiction permitting econdary uite, along with expert profeional review by building and fire technical advior, highlighted eight prominent technical requirement that would meet afety need and addre affordability concern. Thee tandard would et the benchmark or the minimum requirement enforceable by municipalitie and afety inpector. Homeowner would alo be permitted to exceed thee requirement hould they chooe to do o. Affordable houing, uch a econdary uite, ha the potential to act a a link in the chain to pull Albertan out from difficult living condition. For thoe peron who have the mean to pay for uite but have not been able to find available houing, econdary uite provide a afe and improved houing option. A a reult, more lowincome houing i made available for thoe peron with no home at all. By opening up more affordable houing option, we improve condition for all Albertan. Thee eight propoed requirement, along with other iue and concern, were highlighted for dicuion with the public, municipalitie and indutry during our conultation throughout Alberta. A the dicuion evoked many trongly held opinion and recommendation, we felt that each of the eight propoal hould be conidered a eparate iue and recommended independently

12 The appropriate height of room and pace The Alberta Building Code currently allow for a minimum height of room and pace in unfinihed baement of 1.95 metre or 6 6. Thi ceiling height would make it feaible for the majority of exiting home to be adapted for econdary uite and allow unhindered activity except for the tallet of individual. Newly built home would almot certainly have higher baement ceiling in keeping with current contruction practice. Recommendation #5 The minimum height of room and pace hould be 1.95 m or 6 6. The majority of the public and other repondent upported thi propoal. No ignificant iue were raied about thi propoal. Thi propoal may impoe a limitation on ome very old home for developing econdary uite, but the majority of home would be uitable. In many new home, 2.4 m or 8 i the tandard ceiling height

13 Minimum ize of bedroom window Each bedroom hall have at leat one outide window that can be opened from the inide. The window hall provide an unobtructed opening of at leat 0.35 quare metre or 3.75 quare feet with no dimenion le than 380 mm or 15 inche. It i neceary to have a certain ize of window in each bedroom of a econdary uite for fire ecape or acce by fire ervice for recue. The ame requirement applie to bedroom in an apartment or ingle-family home. A clear opening of.35 quare metre i ufficient for a normal peron to exit or be pulled out of the room by fire and emergency ervice. Recommendation #6 Each bedroom hould have at leat one outide window that can be opened from the inide. We upport thi technical requirement and there wa unanimou upport from the public and takeholder. Window dimenion are a ignificant afety requirement that would allow occupant to ue the window a an ecape route in the event of fire. Window of ufficient ize alo allow firefighter and other emergency profeional to pull an occupant out of the room in the event he or he cannot ecape independently

14 Window requirement other than bedroom window We preented Albertan with a tandard requirement for window pace other than in the bedroom to be a minimum of 10 per cent of the living pace. For econdary uite, thi would generally apply to the living and dining room, which may often imply be one room. The reaon for thi requirement ha traditionally been baed on enhancing quality of life by providing natural light and the ability to look outide. Thi requirement i not related to afety of the individual or protection of property. We encountered trong oppoition to thi requirement from both the public and takeholder. They felt thi propoal i impractical to contruct in exiting home, and it i not a afety iue. Recommendation #7 There hould be no requirement for window in room other than in the bedroom. Thi propoal i not related to afety, and repondent were overwhelmingly oppoed to a window pace requirement. The Committee recommend that the only window pace requirement be in the bedroom, and builder and owner may determine whether further window pace i needed in econdary uite. With a full baement below grade, mot baement window would not meet the 10 per cent room area requirement and could reult in major renovation to the home to accommodate thi feature. It hould alo be noted that thi requirement for 10 per cent window pace ha been removed from the 2005 National Building Code, which i the bai for the upcoming edition of the Alberta Building Code. 9 The repone alo indicated that although Albertan upported window pace in the bedroom for fire ecape and lighting quality, the majority did not ee the value for a required amount of window pace in living and dining room of econdary uite. During public meeting, everal comment were made to the effect that there i very little light and no view to be een from mall baement window

15 Fire protection We propoed that econdary uite hall be eparated from the main dwelling unit of the home by wall and a ceiling that have an acceptable fire protection rating uing millimetre or ½-inch thick gypum board. The intent i to iolate the econdary uite from the pread of fire from and to the upper level of the home. The gypum board finih with upport will provide adequate fire protection to allow the occupant of the home ufficient time to evacuate afely before the fire pread from one unit to another. Recommendation #8 To protect the uite from the pread of fire, fire protection for the wall and ceiling hould be required. Thi propoal wa trongly upported particularly with the adoption of the moke alarm requirement. A a ignificant afety requirement, thi propoal i neceary to achieve acceptable afety condition. Fire ervice indicated that fire protection time may vary depending on the contruction of the home or flame pread in other area; however, they alo agreed that thi wa an appropriate and acceptable meaure, and that it i a ignificant improvement to the current ubtandard fire protection in illegal econdary uite

16 Interconnected moke alarm The amount of live aved through the intallation of moke alarm in the home ha been well documented throughout North America. A reearch tudy by the Canada Mortgage and Houing Corporation found that between 1980 and 1999, the rate of fire incidence, injurie, property damage and death have dropped by 75 per cent. The requirement for moke alarm and accompanying public education contitute the ingle mot determining factor for thi dramatic change. Early warning of fire i epecially important when the owner ha tenant. Recommendation #9 For the purpoe of life afety, interconnected moke alarm between the upper and lower uite hould be required for every home with a econdary uite. We conider thi propoal a foundation for addreing life afety concern with econdary uite. Our feeling on thi propoal were trongly echoed by all conulted, and thi demontrate a trong commitment to common ene afety meaure by Albertan. Smoke alarm hall be required to be intalled within 5 metre or 16 3 of the bedroom door bedroom or in the bedroom itelf. The key additional afety requirement i the interconnection or hard-wired connection between the moke alarm in the lower or baement uite to the upper or main level uite. Thi additional afety factor become critical if the fire occur at night when the occupant are leeping. A fundamental goal of the Alberta Building and Fire Code i the ecurity of life and protection from injury. A uch, the Committee propoed the intallation of interconnected moke alarm between the upper and lower uite. Each bedroom in a econdary uite would be protected by a moke alarm within 5 metre or 16 3 of the bedroom or inide the bedroom itelf. 11 Intallation cot were not conidered ignificant by the public compared to the added life afety value. Requiring the ytem to be hard-wired further reduce the afety rik by eliminating the problem of battery replacement. We alo recommend that the public be encouraged to enhance moke alarm protection throughout their home beyond the minimum requirement. Public communication of thee tandard hould include the promotion of moke alarm protection

17 Furnace room fire protection Fire hazard are the mot prominent afety rik for econdary uite, particularly thoe uite that have been built without conideration for building and fire tandard. We were impreed with the concern that Albertan howed for afety requirement, and thi propoal wa a direct repone from public and takeholder recommendation. The Committee felt obligated to repreent the people view, and added thi propoal to it conultation in A furnace or furnace in a econdary uite hall be encloed in a room, with both ide of the furnace wall given acceptable fire protection rating by 12.5-millimetre or ½-inch thick gypum board. Recommendation #10 The furnace hould be encloed with fire eparation wall and ceiling. There wa trong upport for adopting thi requirement by the public and takeholder. We conidered thi propoal to be an excellent example of why public conultation are o important to the appropriate development of code and tandard. Similar to Recommendation #8, it i beneficial for afety reaon to encloe a furnace or furnace in a eparate room with gypum board

18 Independent exit from the uite The main purpoe of thi propoal i to provide a eparate exit for the occupant of a econdary uite from the home. The requirement i an eential afety feature to provide an alternate mean of evacuating the home in the event of fire or other emergency. However, the conultation alo indicated that owner and tenant had concern about privacy and ecurity. An alternate doorway that lead directly to the outide or a doorway to a common hall or vetibule to the outide would addre thi concern. Recommendation #11 To enhance life afety, there hould be a eparate exit from the econdary uite to the outide. Given the afety iue involved, thi propoal had to put minimum afety feature ahead of affordability. We feel obligated to recommend that a eparate exit from the uite be required. A noted, the public trongly upported eparate exit for new home. An independent exit alo provide additional privacy and ecurity for owner and tenant. There were everal example where the owner actually ealed off a doorway that led into the owner pace and intalled a eparate doorway to enure privacy. During the conultation, the repone wa predominantly in favour of thi requirement for all new home or newly contructed baement. It wa clear that the public and takeholder recognized the afety importance of a eparate and independent exit from a econdary uite for exiting home a well. If the exit from a econdary uite i only provided through the main floor with no fire eparation, and if the fire occur on the main floor, the occupant of the baement uite are very likely to become trapped. Although there i the additional exit from the bedroom window, thi i not ufficient a a primary exit

19 Independent heating and ventilation ytem Under the apartment/duplex tandard, heating or ventilation duct ytem, uch a a ga furnace, are not permitted to interconnect eparate dwelling unit in a home. Thi mean that for a home with a econdary uite, two eparate heating and ventilation ytem would be required to meet the Alberta Building Code. Separate heating and ventilation ytem for multiple living unit have been a requirement of national and provincial afety code for many decade. The intent i to protect againt death or injury and maintain an acceptable indoor air quality. Intalling a eparate ytem will limit the pread of moke through the air duct ytem in the event of a fire, provide acceible heating control and adequate ditribution of heat for the occupant, and retrict the circulation of odour and germ. The majority of municipalitie, takeholder and the public were trongly againt thi propoal particularly concerning exiting home. To a leer degree, there wa alo oppoition to the requirement for new contruction, but many repondent acknowledged a new home could be planned in advance for a eparate ytem. intallation of a econd heating and ventilation ytem impractical. The Committee heard from municipal authoritie and the general public that impoing a requirement for a econdary heating/ventilation ytem would imply intenify the development of illegal uite. We took thee concern very eriouly and embarked upon further reearch in thi area. Baic engineering and heating practice do upport the importance of a econdary ventilation ytem. It i alo true that there are no cientific tudie relating to moke ditribution from one living unit to another within a ingle family home. Preliminary experiment in thi area, conducted by an engineering conulting firm, indicate that moke ditribution i very rapid through a common duct or ventilation ytem. Thi experimental reearch alo indicate that an effective interconnected moke alarm ytem will provide ufficient early warning to allow the occupant to ecape the home. Even though thi reearch i not yet complete, the indication are that a more rigorou teting environment will likely confirm the preliminary finding. EXISTING HOMES A number of homeowner conidering the development of a econdary uite own older home that were often built to maller dimenion compared to the tandard home of today. Intalling a econd heating and ducting ytem in thee home would likely be cotly and damaging to the home. Even in a larger home, ignificant labour and renovation cot may be neceary to accommodate change to the ytem. Repondent to the Committee conidered the The Fire Technical Council, a ub-council of the Safety Code Council, ha examined thi iue and concluded that houe with exiting

20 econdary uite hould not be required under the Alberta Fire Code to intall a eparate heating and ventilation ytem. Many homeowner would imply not comply or be unable to comply with thi requirement. Other afety meaure propoed for econdary uite, particularly interconnected moke alarm, will improve the current condition of illegal econdary uite to an acceptable afety level. Example of home that would be accepted with a ingle heating/ventilation ytem would include home with finihed baement or home already containing a econdary uite. uch a radiant hot water heating ytem. Neverthele, the ytem that make the mot ene to manage heat control and indoor air quality i the two-furnace ytem. The Committee alo heard preentation from the heating indutry about variou option for heating/ventilation ytem and aociated iue for homeowner and tenant. Two major iue were identified for the heating of econdary uite: control and ditribution of heat, and indoor air quality. In practice, many homeowner and tenant are not atified with a hared or joint heating/ventilation ytem in the home. Owner will often requet an additional heating ytem or eparate ducting to reolve complaint by tenant or their own familie of poor ventilation or inufficient heating. For qualityof-life reaon, the practice of imply leaving a ventilation ytem in place with no adjutment for the econdary uite i not acceptable to owner or tenant. Other repondent indicated that control over the heated environment in the baement i preferable. Contrary to the belief that thi i olely a matter of chooing between one or two large furnace, the Committee heard from the heating indutry of a variety of way to provide control and ditribution of heat in uite. The lowet cot i to upplement the exiting heating ytem with another ource, uch a a wall furnace or pace heater. Another reaonably economic option i to ue a ingle furnace with a et of damper and control to direct the hot air to the uite eparately. Each uite would have it own thermotat capable of turning on the furnace to upply heat only to that uite. There i a more expenive option of adding a econd maller furnace, or uing alternative ource 15 NEW HOMES Owner with unfinihed baement or with home under contruction who are intending to convert the pace for econdary uite would be required to have an independent ventilation ytem for both uite under the Alberta Building Code. The building code regulate all new contruction, and in the cae of new contruction the Building Technical Council, a ub-council of the Safety Code Council, recommended that a eparate heating and ventilation ytem be required. The alternative heating/ventilation ource dicued for ue in exiting uite would be applicable to new home or new contruction a well, a long a acceptable eparate ventilation for the econdary uite wa available. Although a joint ventilation ytem can be made afe by uing other afety feature, it i not the preferable minimum tandard that profeional, including building and fire afety official, would conider a the benchmark for houing in the 21 t century. Conidering the life afety importance of proper air ventilation, the Council felt that for new contruction, home hould maintain better minimum condition for heating control and indoor air quality. New home are, in general, deigned with baement that are more conducive for a econdary heating ytem, particularly if planned for in the contruction tage

21 Recommendation #12 Heating and ventilation ytem hould meet appropriate afety requirement that recognize the difference between new home and exiting home. For exiting home with a preexiting econdary uite, a ingle heating and ventilation ytem i recommended for adoption under the Alberta Fire Code. For new home or new contruction, a eparate heating and ventilation ytem for the econdary uite i recommended for adoption under the Alberta Building Code. The primary concern of the public appeared to be with renovation to accommodate eparate heating/ventilation for exiting home with a finihed or partially finihed baement. It i with thee home that the cot impact i the greatet, while the owner may have the leat reource available. NEW HOMES Independent heating and ventilation ha been held a a tandard to enure afe air circulation among building and fire expert for decade. We conider the ue of thi tandard for new home an appropriate afety tandard for future houing contruction. The Committee i mindful of the affordability argument, but we alo acknowledge that there are a variety of economically reaonable alternative to upplement heating and indoor air quality. uite hould be paramount. Some municipalitie have already gone ahead with requiring thi tandard for deignated home with econdary uite in new ubdiviion, and no iue or complaint have been raied. Propective owner of new home will alo have the choice to contruct econdary uite a part of the planning proce of the new home and benefit from a ubtantial cot aving, or develop a econdary uite at a later date. EXISTING HOMES Building and fire official, including the Fire Technical Council of the Safety Code Council, have acknowledged that for exiting home with uite, the intallation of interconnected moke alarm and other afety propoal for econdary uite provide a reaonable and acceptable level of afety. We agree with thi difference for exiting home, and we upport the majority of repondent in their view that a ingle heating/ventilation ytem appropriately balance afety and affordability for exiting home. Thi recommendation alo remove the ingle greatet cot impact for owner of exiting home. We encourage owner to invetigate the ue of heating option with their local heating ervice company in order to minimize renovation and lower cot. The need to etablih a tandard that improve the quality of life for future familie, low-income earner, enior and other occupant of econdary

22 Concluding Comment The recommendation in thi report were made poible by the participation and inight of Albertan from acro the province. The Committee would like to thank all municipalitie, organization and member of the public who participated in the conultation or ubmitted comment to the Committee. We believe that thi report repond to the concern identified during the conultation, while maintaining an appropriate balance of afety and affordability for Albertan. To offer your view about thee recommendation or obtain additional copie of the report, pleae contact: Moe Amery, MLA Calgary Eat #513 Legilature Building Avenue Edmonton, AB T5K 2B6 Phone: (780) Fax: (780) If you are calling long ditance, pleae dial toll-free anywhere inide Alberta. Thank you for your participation and upport

23 Conultation Public Meeting Brook - November 2003 Calgary - January 2004 Canmore - January 2004 Edmonton - January 2004 Grande Prairie - October 2003 Lethbridge - November 2003 Medicine Hat - January 2004 Red Deer - January 2004 Meeting with City Council and Safety Official (Building and Fire Official) Brook - November 2003 Calgary - January 2004 Canmore - January 2004 Edmonton - January 2004 Fort McMurray - October 2003 Grande Prairie - October 2003 Lethbridge - November 2003 Medicine Hat - January 2004 Red Deer - January 2004 Selected Alberta Stakeholder Conultation (March 29, 2004) Ghot Lake Smoke Ditribution Invetigation, preentation by Morrion Herhfield Limited (January 24, 2005) Heating & Ventilation: Iue and Practice, an Indutry Perpective, by the Service Expert (Rob Plumbing Heating Air Drain Cleaning) (Albertan Heating) (February 22, 2005) Online Government of Alberta Public Conultation on Propoed Standard for Secondary Suite (March/April 2002)

24 Lit of Submiion and Contact Thi lit include all contributor who provided their name and contact information during the conultation proce. Acceible Houing Society Deanna Kirk Alberta Gaming Helen Wilon Alberta Health and Wellne Lidia Stefani Alberta Real Etate Aociation Janet Poyen Alberta Real Etate Foundation Gael Macleod, Executive Director Marcel Notchaele, Pat Chairman Morgan Fowler, Government Relation Reearcher Alberta Senior John Martin Town of Banff Randall McKay, Manager, Planning & Development Alaric Fih, Planning & Development Ann Kjerulf Berry Architecture Suanne Widdecke Bethany Care Society Nancy Connor Boardwalk Equitie Inc. David McIlveen Brenda Strafford Foundation Barrie Strafford Bridgewater Financial Service Ltd. Eric Stewart Town of Brook Town Council Fire Service Maurice Landry 19 Town of Canmore Town Council Fire Service

25 City of Calgary City Council Fire Service David Price, P.Eng., Manager, Building Regulation Philip Ho, P.Eng., Chief Building Inpector, Building Regulation Karen Donnelly B.Comm., MEDe. City of Calgary, Corporate Propertie Laurie Boucher Calgary Acceible Houing Society Alan Nakatui, Architect, P.Eng. Deanna Kirk Calgary Apartment Aociation Randy Brown, Code & Standard Gerry Baxter, Executive Director Calgary Health Region Ralph Hubele Leader Special Houing Development Supported Living Calgary Homele Foundation John Currie Terry Robert Calgary Houing Company Bill Evan Dale Stamm Canada Land Mark McCullough Calgary Land Trut B.P. O Leary Calgary Regional Homebuilder Aociation Donna Moore Government of Canada Robert Merchant, Regional Architect, Public Work and Government Service Canada Mortgage Houing Corp. Elizabeth Huculak Bill Joyner Cardel Cutom Home Kurt Gibon Ryan Ockey Carma Robb Honberger

26 Community Action Project City of Edmonton City Council Fire Service Larrry Benowki, General Manager, Planning & Development Daryl Kreuzer Edmonton Apartment Aociation Terry Robert, Executive Director Ron Holland, Executive Director Edmonton Community Action Project Brian Gibbon Edmonton Community Plan on Houing and Support Service Conultation participant Edmonton Coalition on Houing & Homelene Jim Gurnett, Mennonite Centre for Newcomer Lorette Garrick, The George Spady Centre Hope Hunter, Boyle Street Community Service Co-op Kent Fletcher, Capital Region Houing Corporation (CRHC) Cam McDonald, Edmonton Inner-City Houing Society Lynn Hannley, The Communita Group Ltd. Ele Gibon, Biell Centre Sundari Devam, Edmonton City Centre Church Corporation (ECCCC) Society for the Retired & Semi-Retired Alberta Council of Women Shelter Amik Houing Aociation Daryl Sexmith, Habitat for Humanity (Edmonton) Dave Haut, Handicapped Houing Society of Alberta (HHSA) Bruce Reith, Hope Miion Irene Kerr, Edmonton Inner-City Youth Houing Project Suan Teier, Operation Friendhip Houing Society Major Larry Scarbeau, The Salvation Army Addiction & Rehabilitation Centre WIN Houe Women In Need Growing Stronger (WINGS) of Providence Society Suan Irvine, Urban Manor Houing Society Deb Cautley, Youth Emergency Shelter Society Edmonton Social Planning Council Cec Jone, Amik Houing Aociation Edmonton Federation of Community League Edmonton Houing Indutry Forum Deb Biddicombe, Canada Mortgage & Houing Corporation, Government of Canada Ken Fearnley, Greater Edmonton Foundation (GEF) Meti Urban Houing Corporation of Alberta Inc. Alberta Home Builder Aociation (ABHA)

27 Edmonton Houing Trut Fund Debbie Saidman Irene Hohlbein Edmonton Joint Planning Committee Jay Freeman, Community Service, City of Edmonton Daryl Kreuzer, Community Service, City of Edmonton Anne Milne, Human Reource Development Canada, Government of Canada (HRDC) Jan Fix, Human Reource Development Canada (HRDC), Government of Canada Piali Dagupta, Government of Canada Don Squire, Alberta Senior, Government of Alberta Norma Chitrena, Alberta Senior, Government of Alberta Rudy Palovcik, Alberta Senior, Government of Alberta Kildy Yuen, Alberta Senior, Government of Alberta Martin Garber-Conrad, Edmonton City Centre Church Corporation (ECCCC) Joanne Mueller, Capital Health Authority (Supported Living) Deanna Bragg, Capital Health Authority (Mental Health) Nick Skipping, Capital Health Authority (Environmental Health) George Kelly, Edmonton Inner-City Houing Society (EICHS) Ron Allen, Edmonton People in Need Society Mel Buffalo, Amik Houing Aociation Marg Milicevic, Native Counelling Service of Alberta (NCSA) Patti LaBoucane-Benon, Native Couneling Service of Alberta (NCSA) Faye Dewar, Edmonton Aboriginal Committee on Houing (EACH) Rick Butler Jonathan Rockliff Barbara McDougall Vern Kuehn, Pleaant Home, Katrina Ree, Government of Canada Beatrice McMillan, City of Edmonton Hai Nguyen, Heritage Canada, Government of Canada Iri Ward, Aboriginal Community Sue Olen, Meti Nation of Alberta Aociation Edmonton Real Etate Jon Hall Edmonton Tak Force on Affordable Houing Doug McNally, Edmonton Community Foundation Greg Chritenon, Chritenon Development Ltd. Bard Golightly, Chritenon Development Ltd. Edmonton Apartment Aociation Terry Loat, The City of Edmonton Non-Profit Houing Corporation (homeed) Colleen Burton-Ochocki, Edmonton Landlord & Tenant Adviory Board Leona Love, Edmonton Landlord & Tenant Adviory Board Marcel Notchaele, Alberta Real Etate Foundation (AREF) Alberta Real Etate Aociation (AREA) Ron Holland, Edmonton Apartment Aociation (EAA) Edmonton Real Etate Board (EREB) Greater Edmonton Home Builder Aociation (GEHBA) Linday Kelly, Urban Development Intitute (UDI)

28 Fort McMurray City Council Fire Service Genei Land Ray Clark Glamorgan Chritian Houing Jean Dreger Grande Prairie City Council Fire Service Habitat For Humanity Rick Gedde Town of High Prairie Rod Griffith, C.A.O. The Home Program Brian Finley Hopewell Reidential Communitie Paul Taylor Horizon Houing Society Jerry Hoagland IBI Group Ro Haye Intergovernmental Committee on Urban and Regional Reearch (ICURR) Catherine Marchand Jack Long Foundation Shirley-anne Reuben Land Trut / Houing Indutry Foundation Matt MacNeil City of Lethbridge City Council Fire Service Paul Little MCF Houing for Senior Ken Sorenen 23 City of Medicine Hat City Council Fire Service John Komanchuk, BA, CET, SCO, Manager of Safety Code Service

29 Modular/Manufactured Houing Aociation of Alberta/Sakatchewan Melodie Wood National Reearch Council Michel Lacroix, Arch. Norfolk Houing Aociation Kurt Gervai PricewaterhoueCooper LLP Adam Legge Qualico Development Wet Ltd. Mel Muntermann City of Red Deer City Council Fire Service Red Deer Houing Committee Wendy Klaen Royal Bank Rick Fuller Sandlewood Development Shelagh Banniter Safety Code Council Building Technical Council Fire Technical Council Town of Slave Lake Owald Fereira Southern Alberta Cooperative Houing Aociation (SACHA) Joanne Mick Southern Alberta Intitute of Technology Mike MacMurchy City of St. Albert Curti Cundy, ACP, MCIP, M.Sc, Director of Planning & Development Streetide Development Jaydan Tait Town of Swan Hill Brad Waton Trinity Place Foundation Lawrence Braul United Way

30 Trih Bond Urban Development Intitute, Alberta Diviion Suan Kay Barry, Executive Director Urban Sytem Roberto Binda Univeral Rehabilitation Service Agency (URSA) Doug Hauer Ventar Development Inc. Charle Cochrane The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Dan Whelton, ACP, MCIP, Planning and Development Other Correpondent Kevin Autin Bhorte John Born Gary Buxton Jack Clayton Dann Craig Karen Dickie Jack C. Downey David Dwyer Carol Jeffrie Adam Legge Brandan Leter Ray Ligenza Maureen Lyttle Brenda MacFarland Jerry Mayer John Peacock Cliff Potter Cyndie Prpich Earl Rhode, DAR, CRA, IFA, Rhodeide Appraial Inc. Gloria Sauve Dixie Waton Reource Document: Acceory Suite Report Canada Houing and Mortgage Corporation (1999) Affordable Houing in Canada: In Search of a New Paradigm. TD Economic, Dicuion Paper, June 17, TD Bank Financial Group

31 An Evaluation of Secondary Suite Regulatory Implementation Method in Low-Denity Reidential Ditrict (1999) by Adam Legge. Apartment in Houe Municipal Guide (1994) Britih Columbia Building Code Britih Columbia Fire Code City of Toronto, By-Law No (OMB). To enact zoning by-law amendment repecting econdary uite Final Report Affordability and Secondary Suite Expanding Houing Choice (1997) Choice Today (A.C.T.) Streamlined Approval Proce Project Prepared for City of St. Albert, Town of Morinville, Town of Gibbon, Town of Devon Fire Experience, Smoke Alarm and Sprinkler in Canadian Houe: CMHC Reearch to Reearch Highlight, April 2005, Technical Serie Motion 512, May 23, 2000 Bonnie Laing, MLA Calgary-Bow. Be it reolved that the Legilative Aembly urge the Government to encourage municipal government to invetigate way of adding low-cot houing unit through change in zoning bylaw to allow alternate houing unit uch a econdary uite and room-and-board houing in reidential neighbourhood. Ontario Building Code Ontario Fire Code Secondary Suite, An Affordable Houing Choice for Britih Columbian: A Summary of Local Government Practice Province of Britih Columbia, Minitry of Houing, Recreation and Conumer Service, 1995) Juridiction Reearched: Province of Ontario Province of Britih Columbia Municipality of Delta, B.C., Canada North Vancouver, B.C., Canada Vancouver, B.C., Canada Wahington State, U.S.A. Toronto, Ontario, Canada Portland, Oregon, U.S.A. Seattle, Oregon, U.S.A. New Wetminiter, B.C., Canada Kington, Ontario, Canada London, Ontario, Canada North York, Ontario, Canada Other juridiction conulted included Germany, England, Autralia, New Zealand, Spain and Portugal