By Bill Hawkins, Executive Director, Building and Technical Standards Branch, Ministry of Government Relations
June 2022
The Construction Codes Act (CC Act) came into force on January 1, 2022. The new Act replaced The Uniform Building and Accessibility Standards Act as the legislation that governs the construction and occupancy of buildings in Saskatchewan.

There are several points under this new legislation and its associated regulations that may impact farmers and ranchers:
- Farm buildings remain exempt from construction standards. However, the CC Act has amended the definition of a farm building to exclude farm residences and buildings with sleeping quarters from being considered a farm building. Building owners should talk to their administrator to discuss if their building needs to comply with construction code requirements.
- The Building Code Regulations state that a building is not considered a farm building if it is used in the production, processing, wholesaling or distribution of cannabis, or if it is involved in the manufacture, sale, storage wholesale or delivery of beverage alcohol.
- Farm residences and buildings with sleeping quarters must meet the same construction code requirements as other buildings in the province. This includes the requirement to have both carbon monoxide and smoke alarms installed before July 1, 2022, regardless of when the building was first constructed or last renovated.
- The CC Act requires all local authorities (including rural municipalities) to have a valid building bylaw, so they can administer and enforce construction standards. If a rural municipality does not already have a valid building bylaw, they have until December 31, 2023 to adopt their own bylaw or one will be prescribed to them.
To learn more about the new Act and associated Regulations that apply to the construction, renovation, and fire safe operation of buildings in Saskatchewan, visit the Building and Technical Standards page or read the building advisories found in the Publications Centre.
If you have any questions about Saskatchewan’s construction legislation, contact the Building and Technical Standards Branch in the Ministry of Government Relations at 306-787-4113 or email btstandards@gov.sk.ca.