The National Building Code, the National Fire Code, the Canadian Plumbing Code, the Installation Code for Natural Gas Burning Appliances and Equipment and the Canadian Electrical Code are examples of such codes. The provincial acts in some provinces may merely give the municipalities authority to adopt a code, or they may require the municipalities to adopt a particular code. Code requirements often reference other codes and standards since it is not practical to include all of this material in the same code. Some of these are as voluminous as the NBC itself, and may in turn reference additional documents. In general, a document is referred to as a code if its title proclaims it as such.
Laws passed by municipalities are bylaws.
The authority that a municipality can exercise depends on the enabling legislation under which it operates. In provinces that have adopted provincial building regulations, for example, municipalities are usually not permitted to pass bylaws that contravene the spirit of the provincial act. Building Codes Building codes are generally concerned with matters affecting fire safety, structural sufficiency and health. They are intended to apply to the construction of new buildings and the demolition or relocation of existing buildings. They are also intended to apply when the use of a building changes or if the building is significantly renovated or altered.