Vancouver City Council approves 'safer' versions of single-stair residential buildings | Daily Hive

Semi-enclosed outdoor atrium, corridors, and staircases of The Duke residential building in Vancouver. (Acton Ostry Architects)

Last week, Vancouver City Council approved City of Vancouver staff’s modified concepts of a single-egress staircase building design for small multi-family residential uses up to six storeys in height.

This is a variation of the Government of British Columbia’s August 2024-approved changes to the B.C. Building Code enabling its own version of a single-egress staircase residential building up to six storeys.

Previously, such buildings three storeys or higher required at least two exit staircases.

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However, the provincial government’s new design allowances were widely opposed by fire officials across B.C., who raised concerns that it lacks sufficient safety redundancy for firefighters conducting rescues and suppressing fires, as well as for occupants attempting to evacuate.

The provincial changes applied to all municipal governments except for the City of Vancouver, which has its separate Vancouver Building Code.

In February 2025, City of Vancouver staff presented an initial report to Vancouver City Council, outlining their reasons why the same provincial policies should not be permitted in their jurisdiction, including opposition from the City’s fire officials. At that juncture, City Council directed City staff to work with Vancouver Fire Rescue Services, architects, builders, and other experts and stakeholders on a potential design solution that works.

After hearing from City staff last week, City Council rejected the provincial government’s single-egress staircase design, and adopted two made-for-Vancouver solutions: Space Efficient Scissor Stairs and Single Exterior Exit Stair and Passageway.

The provincial design can save more usable floor area compared to a conventional building design under the previous requirements, which is the very intent of the strategy — enabling smaller multi-family buildings to be constructed on smaller lots, such as a single-family lot, with up to a handful of residential units per floor.

But according to City staff, they heard from builders and developers that the provincial design is not cost effective due to the expensive requirements of wider stairs, air pressurization systems to prevent smoke from infiltrating the single stairwell, and emergency generators. As well, there would also be enhanced sprinklers and durable materials.

Maintaining a standard of safety, however, depends on rigorous inspection and upkeep of these equipment systems over the full lifespan of a building — an outcome that cannot be assured. There could also be higher insurance costs.

While there has been significant interest from developers and prospective applicants, provincial building officials shared that very few single-egress stair applications have been received — due to the wide range of cost, efficiency, and safety concerns.

Instead, City Council’s adopted Space Efficient Scissor Stairs design enables two staircases within a single enclosure/stairwell, separated by fire-proofed walls — providing two pathways, while saving floor space to reduce costs. If smoke billows into one stairwell, the other remains available. This removes the minimum distance requirement between exit doors, making it more space efficient. Such buildings can be up to six storeys, with no limits on the number of residential units per floor.

For the approved Single Exterior Exit Stair and Passageway typology, there can be just one staircase and corridor located outside the building, which maximizes floor space and enables more housing options, such as family-sized, multi-bedroom units on smaller lots. As the staircase is on the exterior, there is reduced concern about smoke impacting firefighter ingress and resident egress. This design can reach up to six storeys, with a limit of up to 24 residents per floor — four suites per floor on levels four to six, and six suites per floor on levels one to three.

Both of these options are supported by fire officials, as they restore redundancy and other fire safety principles.

Single Exterior Exit Stair and Passageway Space Efficient Stairs

City of Vancouver

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