TORONTO - The province says it will consult the public on proposed changes that would require fire sprinkler systems in new multiple-unit residential buildings higher than three storeys.
Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Jim Watson says Ontario already has one of the lowest rates of residential fire deaths in the country, but that the government believes it can make buildings even safer.
The government says 103 people died in apartment fires between 1997 and 2006.
Watson says the government will consider the ideas and concerns raised during the information sessions when finalizing any amendments to the building code.
Watson's comments came a day after a Toronto apartment fire killed a 47-year-old woman and left her 21-year-old son with burns.
The public information sessions will be held in late March and early April.
Locations will be posted on the websites of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Office of the Fire Marshal.
"These consultations are a chance to build consensus and increase awareness about fire safety across the province,'' Ontario Fire Marshal Patrick Burke said in a release.
"Everyone must understand that fire safety begins with prevention, and that smoke alarms and sprinklers can save lives and limit property loss.''
