Fire Safety Plan for Strata Corporations in BC: What the Law Requires

In British Columbia, the responsibility for fire safety in a strata building does not sit with any individual unit owner — it sits with the strata corporation. The BC Fire Code is clear: the strata corporation, as the building operator, is responsible for ensuring a fire safety plan exists, is accepted by the local fire department, and is kept current.

This is often misunderstood. Many strata councils assume fire safety is the property manager's responsibility, or that the fire protection contractor handles it. Neither is correct. The strata corporation bears the legal obligation, and the strata council is accountable.

What the BC Fire Code Requires of Strata Buildings

The BC Fire Code applies to virtually every occupied building in the province. For strata buildings — whether a 4-storey wood-frame low-rise or a 25-storey concrete tower — the code requires:

• A written fire safety plan accepted by the local authority having jurisdiction (the local fire department)

• Appointment of a Fire Safety Director (FSD) responsible for implementing the plan

• Appointment of a Deputy Fire Safety Director

• Documented evacuation procedures covering all occupants, including mobility-impaired residents

• An up-to-date emergency contact directory

• CAD-drawn floor plans showing exit routes, equipment locations, and assembly areas

• Regular inspection and maintenance of fire protection equipment

Who Is the Fire Safety Director in a Strata Building?

The Fire Safety Director must be a named individual — not a company, not "the property manager," and not a generic title. The FSD is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the fire safety plan, including calling the fire department when the alarm activates, overseeing evacuation, and maintaining the plan.

In a strata building, the FSD is typically a strata council member, the on-site building manager, or, in some cases, the property manager acting as an individual. The key point: one person must be named, and that person must understand their responsibilities under the plan.

A Deputy FSD must also be named — someone who assumes FSD responsibilities when the primary FSD is unavailable.

What Happens When the Fire Safety Plan Is Missing or Out of Date?

The BC Fire Code gives fire inspectors authority to order compliance. A strata building without an accepted fire safety plan, or with a plan that is materially out of date, can face:

• A compliance order requiring the strata corporation to obtain or update the fire safety plan within a specified time frame

• Fines for continued non-compliance

• Potential liability implications if a fire occurs and the absence of a compliant plan is a contributing factor

Fire inspections of strata buildings are not uncommon — they can be triggered by complaints, routine inspection schedules, or follow-up from a fire alarm activation. When an inspector arrives and asks for the fire safety plan, the strata council needs to be able to produce it.

The Property Manager's Role

Many strata corporations delegate fire safety plan management to their property manager. This can work well in practice — property managers often have relationships with fire safety plan providers and can coordinate submissions and updates. However, delegation does not transfer legal responsibility. If the property manager fails to obtain or maintain the plan, the liability remains with the strata corporation.

Strata councils should confirm with their property manager:

• Whether a fire safety plan exists for the building

• When it was last accepted by the local fire department

• Who is currently named as Fire Safety Director and Deputy FSD

• Whether the emergency contact directory is current

High-Rise Strata Buildings: Additional Requirements

High-rise strata buildings — generally defined as buildings more than six storeys in height — have additional requirements under the BC Fire Code that do not apply to low-rise buildings:

• Floor warden program: Each floor must have a designated floor warden who confirms evacuation is complete and reports to the FSD. The strata corporation is responsible for ensuring floor wardens are appointed and trained.

• Area of refuge procedures: Mobility-impaired residents who cannot use stairs must have documented procedures for reaching and waiting in a designated area of refuge until fire department assistance arrives.

• Firefighter communication systems: The fire safety plan must document firefighter telephone locations and the public address system.

When Does the Fire Safety Plan Need to Be Updated?

A fire safety plan must be kept current. For strata buildings, changes that require updating the plan include:

• New Fire Safety Director or Deputy FSD

• Change in property management company

• New fire protection service contractor or alarm monitoring company

• Significant renovations affecting exit routes or fire protection systems

• Any fire department inspection that identifies plan deficiencies

The updated plan must be re-submitted to the local fire department. An old plan with a deceased or departed FSD listed, or with outdated contractor contacts, is a non-compliant plan.

Strata Corporations Across BC

The BC Fire Code applies province-wide, but fire safety plans are reviewed and accepted by local fire departments — the City of Vancouver's VFRS, the Richmond Fire Department, the Surrey Fire Service, and so on. Each jurisdiction reviews plans for its own buildings. A strata corporation in Burnaby submits to the Burnaby Fire Department; a strata corporation in Richmond submits to the Richmond Fire Department.

The requirements are substantively the same across BC — the BC Fire Code is the governing document — but each fire department has its own review process and may have its own preferences for how plans are structured and submitted.

Strata corporations that manage buildings in multiple municipalities need separate accepted plans for each building, each submitted to the appropriate local fire department.