Fire Safety Plan
London, Ontario
A fire safety plan isn't optional for most commercial buildings in Ontario — it's a legal requirement under the Ontario Fire Code. London Fire Protection develops, files, and delivers custom FSPs for assembly, commercial, and residential buildings across London, Ontario. City submission handled. No extra trips to the fire hall.
Does My Building Need a Fire Safety Plan?
Answer two questions and find out whether Ontario Fire Code Division B, Section 2.8 applies to your building.
A panel-based system with pull stations and sounders — not just smoke detectors
Why It's Required
A fire safety plan isn't a suggestion — it's a legal document. Here's what the Ontario Fire Code actually requires.
Legally Required — Not Optional
Ontario Fire Code Division B, Section 2.8 requires a fire safety plan for buildings with a fire alarm system, assembly occupancies, care and detention facilities, and residential buildings of 4 or more storeys. Operating without one is a fire code violation subject to fire department orders and fines. There is no size exemption — a 900 sqft restaurant with a fire alarm system needs an FSP.
OFC Div. B — Section 2.8Must Be Filed with the Fire Department
Having an FSP document is not enough — a copy must be formally submitted to and accepted by the London Fire Department. Many buildings that have an FSP on file internally have never submitted it for city review. The plan must also be posted on-site in an approved FSP box (FSPB-1) near the main entrance or fire alarm panel, accessible to arriving firefighters at any hour.
OFC Section 2.8.2 — Filing RequirementAnnual Review Is Mandatory
The Ontario Fire Code requires that fire safety plans be reviewed and updated at least annually, and after any change to the building, occupancy, or life safety systems. An outdated FSP — even one that was compliant when filed — is treated as non-compliant during a fire department inspection. Most commercial buildings in London have FSPs that are years out of date and have never been resubmitted.
OFC Section 2.8.3 — Annual ReviewFrom Site Visit to City Filing
On-Site Assessment
Our NFPA 1031-certified technician walks through your entire building — every floor, every exit, every life safety system. We inventory fire extinguishers, alarms, sprinklers, emergency lighting, and identify occupant load and warden zones. No detail is skipped.
FSP Document Drafted
We build your custom fire safety plan: evacuation routes, assembly point locations, warden assignments, staff responsibilities, and emergency procedures — all specific to your building's layout and occupancy. If you have existing floor plans, we use them. If not, we draft them.
You Review and Approve
Before anything is filed, you see the complete document. We confirm warden names, assembly point accuracy, and any operational details specific to your business. Revisions are included — we don't submit anything until you're satisfied.
City Filing — Handled
We submit a copy of the approved FSP to the London Fire Department on your behalf. The $182 city filing fee is included in our price. You don't need to visit the fire hall, make phone calls, or track submission status — we handle it.
FSP Box Installed On-Site
The approved plan is delivered in a wall-mounted FSPB-1 Fire Safety Plan Box, installed near your main entrance or fire alarm panel. This is the OFC-required method of keeping the FSP accessible to fire department personnel at any hour.
Annual Revision — Scheduled
We contact you before your annual review date to schedule the update visit. Any changes to staff, building layout, or life safety systems get captured and resubmitted. You stay continuously compliant without having to track it yourself.
Common Questions
A fire safety plan (FSP) is a written document that outlines how occupants should respond to a fire emergency in your building — including evacuation procedures, staff responsibilities, warden assignments, and assembly point locations. Under Ontario Fire Code Division B, Section 2.8, FSPs are legally required for buildings with a fire alarm system, assembly occupancies (restaurants, churches, gyms), care or detention occupancies (daycares, nursing homes), and residential buildings of 4 or more storeys. If your building triggers any of these criteria, an FSP is not optional.
The Ontario Fire Code requires a fire safety plan for: (1) any building with a fire alarm system, (2) Group A assembly occupancies — restaurants, churches, theatres, gyms, banquet halls, (3) Group B care or detention occupancies — daycares, nursing homes, group homes, shelters, and (4) residential buildings of 4 or more storeys. This covers a large portion of commercial and multi-unit buildings in London, Ontario. When in doubt, the presence of a fire alarm system alone is sufficient to trigger the requirement.
A compliant Ontario fire safety plan must include: evacuation procedures for the entire building and each floor, the location of all assembly points, a list of staff responsibilities during a fire emergency, warden assignments (who is responsible for each floor or area), procedures for calling the fire department, and a description and location of all life safety systems — alarms, sprinklers, extinguishers, and emergency lighting. London Fire Protection also documents floor plans and all life safety equipment as part of every FSP package.
Yes. Under the Ontario Fire Code, a copy of your fire safety plan must be submitted to the local fire department. London Fire Protection handles the London Fire Department submission directly — the $182 city filing fee is included in our quoted price. You do not need to make a separate trip to the fire hall or track the submission yourself. The FSP must also be kept on-site in an FSPB-1 Fire Safety Plan Box, accessible to firefighters at any hour.
Operating a building that legally requires an FSP without one is a violation of the Ontario Fire Code. The London Fire Department can issue a compliance order requiring immediate action. Continued non-compliance can result in fines and, in serious cases, an order to cease operations until the FSP is in place. An FSP is also commonly requested during commercial real estate transactions, insurance audits, and business licence renewals. The cost of getting one is small compared to the exposure of operating without it.
Yes. The Ontario Fire Code requires that fire safety plans be reviewed and updated annually, and whenever there is a significant change to the building — such as a renovation, change in occupancy, new life safety systems, or a change in staff warden assignments. An outdated FSP is treated the same as having no FSP during a fire department inspection. Most commercial buildings in London have FSPs on file that are years out of date and have never been resubmitted after the original filing.
An FSPB-1 Fire Safety Plan Box is a wall-mounted metal holder that keeps your fire safety plan accessible to fire department personnel upon arriving at your building. The Ontario Fire Code requires that the FSP be readily available in the building at all times. The FSPB-1 box is the standard method of compliance and is typically mounted near the main entrance or fire alarm panel. London Fire Protection supplies and installs the FSP box as part of every FSP delivery — it is billed separately at $200.