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Building-specific planning · Toronto & the GTA
Fire Safety Plan Development
A useful fire safety plan connects your building, its fire protection systems and the people responsible for them. FC Fire Prevention develops and updates plans for Toronto and GTA properties, with drawings, owner review and fire department submission support.
Is your property ready for a new or updated plan?
We help owners, property managers and businesses prepare a new plan, update an older document, respond to fire department comments or account for changes to a building. Our project work includes residential and condominium properties, mixed-use buildings, restaurants and other commercial premises.
Ontario Fire Code Section 2.8 applies to specified buildings and premises. Examples include assembly occupancies, residential occupancies where the occupant load exceeds 10, and buildings with four or more storeys, including below-grade storeys. Other uses and conditions also apply; these examples are not a complete eligibility test.
Send the property address, current use and any fire department correspondence so the applicable requirements can be checked. Where required, the plan must be approved and implemented. The current Ontario Fire Code is the legal reference.
What a fire safety plan covers
The written procedures and drawings must work together. The content is tailored to the property and the local fire department’s requirements.
Emergency procedures
How to raise the alarm, notify the fire department and follow the building’s evacuation procedures, including arrangements for people who need assistance.
People and responsibilities
Owner and supervisory staff duties, current contacts, backup coverage, training and the arrangements for fire drills.
Site and floor drawings
Clear property layouts identifying relevant exits, routes, fire protection equipment, access points and service areas.
Systems and maintenance
Building-specific fire protection information, maintenance responsibilities, records and alternative measures during equipment shutdowns.
Hazards and daily operation
Fire prevention measures that reflect the activities, storage, occupants and operating arrangements at the property.
Implementation and updates
Practical handover information, document storage, staff responsibilities and a clear basis for keeping the plan current.
See Richmond Hill’s fire safety plan guidance for an overview of plan components.
From the first drawings to the final plan
We guide the project through a practical sequence. We confirm the deliverables, site visits and submission responsibilities in your quote.
01 · Define the scope
We review the building use, existing plan, available drawings, fire department comments and your deadline. An update may be appropriate where the current plan is accurate; other projects need a new document.
02 · Verify the property
We arrange access and check the information needed for the plan and drawings. Floor names, suite labels, door operation, equipment locations and service rooms need to match the actual building.
03 · Prepare and review
We develop the procedures and drawings, then ask the owner or manager to check contacts, staffing, building details and responsibilities. This review helps catch gaps before submission.
04 · Coordinate submission
Where included, we submit the package to the local fire department, track comments and coordinate revisions. Municipal review, fees and any required site corrections affect the next steps.
05 · Complete the handover
Following approval, we provide the final plan and approval correspondence received for the project. Printed binders, plan boxes, installation and staff handover can be included where agreed.
06 · Keep it current
Review the document after relevant changes and at least every 12 months. We can discuss updates when contacts, staffing, layouts, occupancy or fire protection systems change.
What to send for a useful quote
Start with the records you have. Tell us what is missing so we can allow for site verification or drawing preparation.
- Property address, building use, number of floors and a short description of the project.
- Your existing fire safety plan and any approval letter.
- Available site plans, floor plans and original digital permit or as-built drawings.
- Recent fire protection inspection records and fire department notices or review comments.
- Planned renovations, occupancy changes, equipment changes and any stated deadline.
- A main owner or manager contact and arrangements for access to relevant areas.
After engagement, we confirm the staff contacts and other building information needed for the plan through the project communication process.
Original drawings save rework
Clear digital drawings are easier to review and update than photos of old printed plans. We still check whether they reflect the current property.
Mixed-use buildings need coordination
A restaurant or commercial unit may share systems, exits or responsibilities with the rest of the building. Landlord records and residential areas can affect the scope.
Real staffing matters
Daytime, after-hours and backup arrangements must be workable. A name in a contact list does not replace confirming who can carry out each responsibility.
Approval is followed by implementation
The owner and designated staff remain responsible for putting the plan into practice: communicating duties, providing required training, arranging drills, maintaining equipment and keeping the current plan available at its approved location.
The Ontario Fire Code requires review as often as necessary and at least every 12 months. Before construction or demolition begins, the plan must be revised to include applicable temporary fire safety measures and procedures. This does not mean every property needs automatic annual municipal re-approval. Confirm the submission requirements when changes are made.
Local details matter. Toronto’s submission instructions call for electronic submission and payment of the applicable fee before processing. Markham requests the written plan, site plan and floor plans. Mississauga’s local requirements include an on-site security box accessible to fire crews.
Keep plan changes and follow-up together
A short change log helps the owner and the people preparing the plan work from the same information. It can record:
- The change being considered, such as a different building use, layout, equipment or assigned responsibility.
- The drawing, service record or other information that supports the change.
- The person responsible for checking the information and the next action.
- The document version and its status: being prepared, with the owner for review, submitted for authority review where applicable, or issued for implementation.
Keep authority comments and the response to each comment with the relevant version. A submitted draft and an accepted plan are different stages. Ask which revisions, submission support and final handover items are included in the agreed service scope.
Fire safety plan questions
Is an evacuation drawing the same as a fire safety plan?
No. A drawing helps identify routes and equipment. The complete plan also addresses emergency procedures, staff duties, training, drills, maintenance and other applicable requirements.
Can you update our existing fire safety plan?
Yes. Send the current plan, approval correspondence and a description of what has changed. We review whether an update is suitable or whether the document and drawings need more extensive work.
What if we do not have floor plans?
Tell us at the quote stage. We can discuss drawing preparation and the site access needed to establish the layout. Missing, illegible or outdated drawings affect the scope and schedule.
Who approves the plan, and how long does it take?
The local fire authority handles approval. We coordinate submission and responses where included in the agreed scope. Timing depends on complete building information, owner review, municipal workload, requested revisions and any site issues. Approval dates cannot be guaranteed.
What affects the cost?
Building size and complexity, the quality of existing drawings, site visits, the amount of drafting and revision work, and the agreed handover items affect the quote. Municipal review fees are separate charges; we clarify how they will be handled.
Does the service include engineering or equipment repairs?
Those are separate scopes unless expressly included. A complex building may need information or procedures from the owner’s engineer. We coordinate the information needed for the plan; the responsible professional must provide any required engineering work.
Are printed binders, plan boxes and staff training included?
They can be discussed as part of your project. We confirm whether the quote includes printed copies, a plan box and installation, staff handover or training. The owner still needs to implement and maintain the approved plan.
Submitting a plan in Toronto
Our dated Toronto submission checklist gives the current City contact and links to the request form and fees. It also explains an outdated inbox that FC encountered during an actual submission.
Check the current municipal instructions when the package is ready to send. Keep submission, review, approval and implementation as separate milestones in the project record.
Gather your Fire Safety Plan project inputs
Use this one-page worksheet to organize existing records, known changes, missing information and the next project milestone. Download the Fire Safety Plan project worksheet (fillable PDF)
Save a copy on your device, fill it in and save your completed version. To share it with FC Fire, use your agreed project contact or email contact@fcfire.ca.
It is a preparation aid, not a Fire Safety Plan or a municipal application. Leave out access codes and sensitive security details.
Start with your building information
Tell us your location, property type, available drawings and whether you need a new plan or an update.
Request a fire safety plan quote ↗Scope and next steps confirmed before work begins.