Can steel studs be used for load-bearing walls in Ontario houses?
Not prescriptively. The Part 9 steel stud provisions cover non-loadbearing walls only; loadbearing sheet steel framing must be designed under Part 4 to the cold-formed steel standard (CSA S136) by a designer, with member sizes, bridging and connections specified rather than taken from tables.
Paraphrased for clarity — open this provision in the BUILDAiD Library for the exact wording.
This is one of the sharpest wood-versus-steel differences in Part 9: wood stud tables cover loadbearing walls up to three storeys, while steel stud tables stop at non-loadbearing. Loadbearing cold-formed steel is entirely buildable, mid-rise projects do it routinely, but it arrives with engineered drawings covering gauge, web stiffeners at bearing points, bridging, and hold-downs. Practical trouble spots in renovations: crews substituting drywall-grade 25-gauge studs where structure is needed, and steel walls picking up loads after openings are cut elsewhere. When in doubt, trace the load path; if the wall carries anything above, get design.
Steel studs from the building-supply aisle are fine for walls that just divide rooms, but the code's simple tables do not let them hold up floors or roofs. Load-bearing steel framing is done all the time, it just has to be sized and detailed by an engineer first.
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This page is provided for general information. Building code requirements depend on your specific project, occupancy and municipality, and code editions change. Always verify requirements against the current Ontario Building Code and confirm with your local building department.