Released on December 7, 2020
Government Relations Minister Don McMorris introduced legislation today to repeal and replace The Uniform Building and Accessibility Standards Act (UBAS) with The Construction Codes Act (CCA).
“The new CCA will support a better quality of life for Saskatchewan people by allowing our government to develop regulations specific to construction standards and building accessibility for persons with disabilities,” McMorris said. “These regulations will be developed in collaboration with stakeholder groups, industry and the Office of Disability Issues at the Ministry of Social Services. Once in place, the regulations will support provincial Accessibility Legislation and the ongoing implementation of Saskatchewan’s Disability Strategy.”
The CCA also supports commitments made within Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan. By adopting modern standards for energy efficiency and building construction, the CCA works toward fulfilling objectives found in Prairie Resilience, which is one of the 30 Goals for 2030. To view the 30 Goals for 2030, please visit https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/budget-planning-and-reporting/plan-for-growth/30-goals-for-2030.
The new Act allows for independent judgments of construction codes where there are disagreements in interpretation, which supports Saskatchewan’s 20 Actions for 2020 to reduce government red tape for business. To view the 20 Actions for 2020, please visit https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/budget-planning-and-reporting/plan-for-growth/20-actions-for-2020.
The CCA provides Saskatchewan the opportunity to fulfill its commitments under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement by harmonizing construction codes and allowing for the timely adoption of new editions of construction codes. The CCA also modernizes permitting and inspection programs for large industrial investments.
To find out the status of this proposed legislation, visit https://www.legassembly.sk.ca/legislative-business/bills/.
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For more information, contact:
Kathy Goldfinch
Government Relations
Regina
Phone: 306-787-2687
Email: kathy.goldfinch@gov.sk.ca