Code Library › Volume 1 › Section 3.2 — Building Fire Safety
PART 3 — FIRE PROTECTION, OCCUPANT SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITYUpdated for the 2024 Ontario Building Code

3.2.4.14.Elevator Emergency Return

(1) Except as permitted by Sentence (3), in a building having elevators that serve storeys above the first storey and that are equipped with an automatic emergency recall feature, smoke detectors shall be installed in the elevator lobbies on the recall level so that when these smoke detectors are actuated, the elevators will automatically return directly to an alternate floor level. (2) Smoke detectors required by Sentence (1) shall be designed as part of the building fire alarm system. (3) The alternate floor recall feature required by Sentence (1) is not required if the floor area containing the recall level is sprinklered throughout.
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Common questions about this part of the code

When is noncombustible construction required under the Ontario Building Code?When are automatic sprinklers required in a building in Ontario?What are the fire department access route requirements under the Ontario Building Code?When is a fire alarm system required in a building in Ontario?

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Code text is reproduced for reference from the Ontario Building Code (O. Reg. 163/24, 2024 Building Code Compendium). This page is provided for general information and is not an official copy. Always verify requirements against the official Ontario Building Code and confirm with your local building department.