Powers and duties of Fire Marshal
3. Subject to the regulations and for the prevention and investigation of fire, it is the duty of the Fire Marshal and he or she has power, (a) whenever the Fire Marshal has reason to believe that the council of a municipality has not passed a by-law under the authority of any of the sections of the Municipal Act or any other Act relating to the prevention of fire or protection of life and property from fire, or that the by-law that has been passed by a municipal council is not complete or is not being enforced, to confer with members or officers of the council and to assist them as far as is expedient and practicable in preparing, improving and enforcing the by-law; (b) to assist members of municipal councils and municipal officers in the formation and organization of fire departments, to make recommendations with regard to equipment, operations, duties and administration of fire departments, and in the preparation of relevant by-laws; (c) to require the chief of the fire department of a municipality or any other person who is designated as an assistant of the Fire Marshal to assist in the enforcement of the by-law; (d) to disseminate information and advice as to the prevention of fire by means of public meetings, newspaper articles, pamphlets, exhibitions and moving picture films and otherwise as the Fire Marshal considers advisable; (e) to assist in the formation of local associations or leagues and to co-operate with any body or persons interested in developing and promoting the principles and practices of fire prevention and fire protection; (f) to advise and assist ministries and agencies of government in fire prevention and fire protection problems; (g) to keep a record of every fire reported to the Fire Marshal with the facts, statistics and circumstances that are required by the regulations; (h) to investigate the cause, origin and circumstances of any fire so reported to him or her and so far as it is possible determine whether it was the result of carelessness or design; (i) on the instructions of the Minister, to investigate the cause, origin and circumstances of any explosion or of any conditions that in the opinion of the Minister might have caused fire, explosion, loss of life or damage to property and so far as possible determine whether the explosion was or conditions were the result of carelessness or design; (j) to report to the Crown Attorney of the proper county or district the facts found upon the evidence in any case in which the Fire Marshal has reason to suppose that loss by fire has been occasioned by criminal negligence or design or in which he or she considers an offence has been committed against this Act; (k) whenever the Fire Marshal considers it advisable in the public interest, to order the withholding of insurance money that may become payable by reason of any fire for a period not exceeding sixty days from the occurrence of the fire pending an investigation of its cause and circumstances; (l) to enter upon, examine and inspect from time to time hotels, apartment houses, factories, work shops and other places where persons reside or are employed in numbers, and direct such alterations to be made and such precautions to be taken as the Fire Marshal considers necessary for the purpose of complying with any statute or regulation made for the better protection of life and property in the buildings. R.S.O. 1990, c. F.17, s. 3.