Council here intends to garner support for a fight against a call for stricter enforcement of fire code regulations, which could prevent “barn parties” and open house-style gatherings in buildings not designed for public assembly.
During his annual report to Mapleton council, Fire Chief Rick Richardson noted the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office (OFM) has advised fire departments they are required to enforce any non-compliance of assembly occupations in any buildings that do not meet Ontario Fire Code requirements.
This would preclude the practice of hosting weddings or other parties in barns, Richardson explained. It could also prevent a farmer or business from hosting an open house at a new barn, shop or other facility that is not designed for public gatherings.
Richardson noted the OFM issued the edict following a recent Ontario Fire Safety Commission ruling that supports Wilmot Township’s requirement that township resident John Jordan complete about $500,000 worth of work in his barn before hosting further parties there.
Richardson said fire officials around the province have been watching the case carefully.
“Enforcing this will require time from the fire and building department,” Richardson stated in his report.
“If we’re going to get asked to shut down some of these pig roasts and anniversaries we’re not interested in that – we’ll probably be attending,” said Richardson.
Councillor Neil Driscoll, who operates a grain elevator business in rural Mapleton, said if he was opening a new building he would want to have an open house and if his daughter one day wanted to get married at his farm he would want that to be possible.
“I think we need to stand up a little bit more for our own rights as rural Ontario,” said Driscoll, who suggested council pass a resolution confirming its position and seek the support of other municipalities.
“We’ll call it the Common Sense Initiative,” suggested councillor Andy Knetsch.
However, Mapleton won’t be the first rural entity to take exception to the ban on barn parties.
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture has officially called on the province to exempt barns from the expensive requirements of the fire code to allow meetings and events.
Central Huron distributed a resolution in November of 2011, demanding the OFM to back off the directive and received the support of over 50 Ontario municipalities.
