PART 6 — HEATING, VENTILATING AND AIR-CONDITIONINGUpdated for the 2024 Ontario Building Code
Try BUILDAiD Beta
6.3.1.3.Ventilation of Storage and Repair Garages
(1) Except as provided in Sentences (4) and (6), an enclosed storage garage for five or more motor vehicles shall have a
mechanical ventilation system designed to
(a) limit the concentration of carbon monoxide to not more than 100 parts per million parts of air,
(b) limit the concentration of nitrogen dioxide to not more than 3 parts per million parts of air, where the majority of the
vehicles stored are powered by diesel-fuelled engines, or
(c) provide, during operating hours, a continuous supply of outdoor air at a rate of not less than 3.9 L/s for each square
metre of floor area (see Article 3.3.1.21.).
(See Note A-6.3.1.3.(1)) (See also Sentence 3.3.5.4.(4))
(2) Mechanical ventilation systems provided in accordance with Clause (1)(a) shall be controlled automatically by
carbon monoxide monitoring devices, and systems provided in accordance with Clause (1)(b) shall be controlled by
nitrogen dioxide or other acceptable monitoring devices. (See Note A-6.3.1.3.(2))
(3) Mechanical ventilation systems provided in accordance with Sentence (1) shall be designed such that the pressure in
the storage garage is less than the pressure in adjoining buildings of other occupancy, or in adjacent portions of the same
building having a different occupancy.
(4) In storage garages subject to the requirements of Sentence (1), where motor vehicles are parked by mechanical
means, the ventilation requirements may be reduced by one half.
(5) Except as provided in Sentence (6), ticket and attendant booths of storage garages shall be pressurized with a supply
of uncontaminated air.
(6) The requirements of Sentences (1) to (5) shall not apply to open-air storeys in a storage garage.
(7) A repair garage shall have a mechanical ventilation system designed to limit the exposure of workers to,
(a) carbon monoxide to below the time weighted average concentration of 25 parts per million for a normal 8 hour
workday or 40 hour work week, and
(b) nitrogen dioxide from diesel powered vehicles to below 0.72 parts per million for a normal 8 hour workday or 40
hour work week.
(8) In a repair garage, when a repair bay is not immediately adjacent to an outside garage door opening, a system
capable of providing continuous general ventilation of not less than 700 L/s per internal bay shall be provided.
(9) The general ventilation system described in Sentence (8) shall be designed to,
(a) operate continuously, or
(b) be controlled automatically by carbon monoxide monitoring devices, located so as to provide full protection
throughout the repair garage.
(10) The general ventilation system described in Sentence (8) is not required when tail pipes of vehicles are directly
connected to local mechanical exhaust systems that terminate outdoors.
Understand this provision in seconds
BUILDAiD Assist explains any article of the building code in plain English — with exact citations, exceptions and related requirements.
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.