The Residential Buildings Fire Safety By-law No. 4304/86 outlines fire safety rules for existing residential buildings. The City issues penalties to buildings that do not comply. The following multi-residential buildings may be subject to the by-law:
- Tri-plexes & four-plexes
- Apartments & condominiums
- Convents & dormitories
- Hotels, motels & hostels
- Monasteries
Buildings covered by the bylaw might need to install and upgrade building components and systems such as:
- Fire alarms
- Fire exits & fire escapes
- Emergency lighting
- Exit signage
- Fire doors & hardware
- Sprinkler systems
- Fire separations
- Fire fighter elevators
- Standpipe systems
How to verify building compliance
Building owners are responsible for making sure buildings comply with the bylaw. This can be confirmed by:
- applying for a centralized property file search which provides property information about zoning, active permits, outstanding orders, and violations.
- reviewing previous correspondence or Orders from the City on outstanding issues.
- contacting the assigned City inspector.
- contacting the City, Business Licensing to confirm current licensing status for a converted residential dwelling (e.g. triplex, rooming house).
- hiring an architect or engineer for certification of a building’s compliance.
After a building has complied, the City sends a report to the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service. They will perform regular inspections to ensure compliance continues.
Contact 311 with any concerns about the condition of an existing structure.