This Code provision for Sprinklers, if Mandates is a milestone in fire protection in Ontario. Like smoke alarms a generation ago, residential fire sprinkler systems ware the next essential step in creating fire safe homes “They represent a significant step in reducing the rate of death and injury in the place where people are at most risk from fire”, says Linda Jeffrey, the MPP who presented this Private Members Bill.

Ontario is the only jurisdiction in North American that does not require in high rise condominiums and apartment buildings and it is time the Ontario gets up to date with the 220 other jurisdictions that currently have legislation in place. Not having such legislation in place had likely cost Ontarians numerous lives, countless injuries, trauma and therapy plus millions and millions of dollars in insurance claims and medical expenses.

During the past 10 years (1995-2004) there have been 1,180 fire fatalities and 10,775 fire injuries in Ontario. Research has shown that the fire suppressing qualities of a sprinkler system, in combination with working smoke alarms, reduce the death rat in a residential fire by more than 82%. Surely it’s time to start “ Protecting What You Value Most”, by ensuring that residential fire sprinklers are mandated for installation in all new detaches, semi-detached homes and all multi-occupancy high ride residential buildings in Ontario

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According to a recent Pollara poll, fire safety in the home is important to 79% of Ontarians and 67% of them support making residential fire sprinkler systems mandatory in new residences and high rise swellings. Nearly three-quarters of Ontarians considering buying a new home in the five years support fire sprinkler systems

As MPP Linda Jeffrey says “the best argument for passing legislation in support of residential sprinklers is that failing to do so creates the chance that the next times someone’s life is tragically altered by fire, we may have missed the opportunity to take every step possible to prevent a tragedy”.

Let’s avoid such a situation and encourage your local MPP to support the pass Linda Jeffrey’s Private Member Bill to legislate fire sprinkler systems in all new residential construction so you can help “protect What We Value Most”