What are the travel distance limits to an exit in small buildings in Ontario?
In Part 9 buildings, travel distance from any point in a floor area to an exit is generally limited to about 30 m (98 ft), increasing to about 45 m (148 ft) in sprinklered floor areas, with dwelling units largely exempt.
Paraphrased for clarity — open this provision in the BUILDAiD Library for the exact wording.
Travel distance is measured along the actual walking path, around partitions and fixtures, not as a straight line, so deep floor plates and convoluted layouts can fail even in small buildings. This matters mostly for small commercial, mixed-use and multi-unit residential Part 9 buildings; inside a single dwelling unit it rarely governs. Where two exits are required they must be adequately separated so one fire cannot block both. Confirm the exact limit for your occupancy in the current OBC tables before locking a layout.
In small commercial or apartment buildings, nobody should have to walk more than roughly 30 m, measured along the real path, to reach an exit, or about 45 m if the building has sprinklers.
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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.