Fire safety plan

A buyer of a restaurant, a retirement home or a care facility can ask for the fire safety plan during due diligence, because it describes how the premises are meant to respond to a fire. Start by confirming which fire code applies where the business operates.

What Ontario’s Fire Code says

Ontario’s Fire Code (O. Reg. 213/07) says a fire safety plan shall be prepared, approved and implemented in the buildings and premises its Section 2.8 covers. The plan must provide for emergency procedures, supervisory staff, training, fire drills and maintenance of building facilities provided for the safety of occupants. The Fire Code says the plan is kept in the building or premises in an approved location, and is reviewed as often as necessary but at least every 12 months. Outside Ontario, the National Research Council says to check with the municipal, provincial or territorial official which edition of the National Fire Code of Canada applies in a jurisdiction.

What to check or ask

• Whether the premises are covered by the fire code’s plan requirement, and who approved the current plan.
• The date of the last review, and whether the plan reflects any change in how the space is used.
• Whether supervisory staff and their training records carry over to the new owner.

Compare this with the restaurant buyer checklist and the retirement home licence entry.