Ontario Changes Insulation Requirement

An “emergency” amendment to the Ontario Building Code, which took effect on August 20, 1996, eliminates the requirement for full-height foundation insulation. The measure rolls back the code to what it was from 1990 to 1993—requiring foundation insulation only to a depth of two feet (0.6 m) below grade—the same as other building codes in Canada.

The code amendment approved in 1993 had required both full-height R-12 (RSI-2.1) foundation insulation (either on the interior or exterior) to improve home energy performance, and a full-height foundation drainage layer on the outside of the foundation to eliminate leaky basements. This foundation drainage requirement spurred the development of new foundation drainage products, including Roxul mineral wool insulating drainboard (see

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