Compliance across Canada's national and provincial codes
Canada updates its national model codes on a cycle, and the 2025 editions have landed. But model codes only take legal effect once a province or territory adopts them, and several provinces maintain their own codes based on the national ones, so the exact requirements depend on where the project is.
UptoCode fits that structure. Because you upload the code you need to check against, you can point a project at the right national or provincial edition, add any amendments, and get a report where every finding is cited to its source.
How building codes work in Canada
The National Building Code of Canada (NBC) 2025 was released on 22 December 2025 by the Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes, published through the National Research Council's Codes Canada. It is part of a family of national model codes that also includes the National Fire Code, the National Plumbing Code, and the National Energy Code for Buildings.
The NBC 2025 expands the accessibility objective to all types of dwelling unit, introduces the first explicit, measurable limits on operational greenhouse-gas emissions, adds new compliance pathways, and updates climatic data to reflect a changing climate. Crucially, a national model code has no force in law until a province or territory adopts it, because construction falls under provincial and territorial jurisdiction. Provinces such as Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec maintain their own codes based on the national model.
How UptoCode helps in Canada
Checks Canadian codes
Upload the National Building Code of Canada, your province's code, or the National Energy and Fire codes, and check against them.
Every finding cited
Each result points to the specific code clause and the drawing or model element it came from, so reviews are traceable.
Handles provincial variation
Because you provide the code, you can check a project against the exact edition and provincial amendments that apply to it.
Drawings and BIM together
Reads PDF drawing sets and IFC models together, checking the data in the model alongside the drawn sheets.
Faster pre-submission review
Run a full check in minutes so issues surface before a permit submission, not after.
Free to start
65 credits and full platform access with no credit card, so you can try it on a live Canadian project today.
Frequently asked questions
When was the National Building Code of Canada 2025 released?
The 2025 national model codes, including the National Building Code, were released on 22 December 2025 by the Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes and published through the National Research Council's Codes Canada.
Does the National Building Code apply automatically across Canada?
No. The National Building Code is a model code with no force in law until a province or territory adopts it, because construction is a provincial and territorial responsibility. Several provinces, including Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec, maintain their own codes based on the national model.
What changed in the NBC 2025?
Headline changes include expanding the accessibility objective to all types of dwelling unit, the first explicit measurable limits on operational greenhouse-gas emissions, new compliance pathways, energy provisions extended to alterations of existing buildings, and updated forward-looking climatic data.
Can UptoCode check drawings against Canadian building codes?
Yes. Upload the National Building Code, your province's code, or any standard you use, along with your drawings and BIM model, and UptoCode checks the project against it and cites every finding to the clause and the drawing it came from.
In Ontario? See plan review for the Ontario Building Code. Working in the US too? See Florida and Texas, or read the guide to AI compliance checking.