The British Columbia Building Code is your guide to the barrier-free code in the province.  Accessibility is an important objective of the British Columbia Building Code, as it ensures buildings are designed and constructed so people with disabilities can:

• reasonably access and move around within the building
• use the building facilities
• That the design and construction include:
  • Corridors, doorways, bathrooms and kitchens that are easier for people with disabilities to use
  • Features like easy-to-reach electrical outlets and switches or easy-to-use door and faucet handles
  • Building in a way that allows for future installation of necessary items – for example, installing grab bars in the bathroom
  • Main entrances that don’t use steps making it easier for strollers, scooters and wheelchairs to access the building

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British Columbia Building Code

Changes for British Columbia focus around clearing space. This includes but is not limited to clear floor space, knee and toe space and the height of water closet necessities.

BATHROOMS

• Toilet Location – Distance from sidewall
  • 460 mm (18.2”) to 480 mm(18.8”)
• Lavatory location 
  • Minimum forward approach 
  • 920 mm (36.3”) wide by 1350 mm (53.2”) deep
• Minimum clear floor space for 
  • Minimum 3.7 m2 (39.9 ft2)

• • • Door swings out
  • Minimum 4.0 m2 (43.1 ft2)
    • Door swings inward

WATER CLOSETS

• Locking/secured tank 
• Heights

URINALS

• Rim height *just wording adjustment
  • Less than 430 mm (16.9”)
• Grab bars *just wording adjustment
  • 600 mm (23.7”) long

LAVATORIES

• Knees and Toe Space

SHOWERS

• Handshowers
  • Usable at 1200 mm (47.3”) and 2030 mm (79.9”) off the floor
    • Best accomplished with 900 mm (35.4”) slide bar
  • Minimum 1800 (59.1”) mm hose required
• Grab Bars
  • L-shaped grab bar on the back wall
    • Horizontal component 1000 mm (39.4”)
      • 750 mm (29.6”) to 870 mm (34.2”) off the floor
    • Vertical component 750 mm (29.6”)
      • Same side as side wall grab bar
      • 400 mm (15.8”) to 500 mm (19.6”) from side wall
  • Vertical Straight side wall grab bar
    • Minimum 1000 mm (39.4”)
    • 50 mm (2”) to 80 mm (3.1”) to side wall
    • 600 (23.7”) to 650 mm (25.5”) off the floor to lower part

BATHTUB

• Size and Space
  • 1500 mm (59.1”) turning circle
• Grab bars
  • 2 Minimum 1200 mm (47.3”) grab bars
    • • 2 vertical at each end, 1 horizontal centred
      • Lower end 80 mm (3.1”) to 280 mm (11”)

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us! 

We also have a variety of CEU presentations focusing on but not limited to accessibility:

1. 1. Request a CEU presentation
   2. A Planning Guide for Accessible Restrooms
   3. Barrier-Free And Design: Understanding Accessibility In A Locker Room
   4. Materials Matter – The Cost Of Ownership
   5. Multigenerational Public Restroom Design
   6. Relocatable Bathroom Fixtures = Universal Design
   7. Specifying Code-Compliant Toilet Partitions
   8. Understanding HPL + The Benefits Of Rainscreen Applications

To book one for your organization, please register.