Thank you for the…

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on proposed changes to Ontario’s Building Code.
I urge you to include provisions that would reduce bird collisions with buildings, based on the Canadian Standards Association A460:19 Bird-friendly building design standard. By mandating bird-friendly building construction measures in the Building Code, Ontario could significantly reduce the vast number of birds that die needlessly each year.
It is estimated that every year, about 25 million birds are killed by colliding with windows in Canada.1 FLAP Canada has documented birds from 173 species – including 24 species at risk – colliding with buildings in the Greater Toronto Area alone, yet the risk to birds extends throughout the Province of Ontario.
The Building Code should be revised to incorporate the Bird Collision Mitigation Strategies from CSA A460:19, including the appropriate use of visual markers, specifications for window glazing and glass railings, and building-integrated structures.
The Ontario government is proposing changes to the City of Toronto Act and Planning Act through Bill 23 “More Homes Built Faster Act” 2022 that would remove the authority of municipal governments to enforce green building standards. This will result in the discontinuation of bird friendly building design guidelines that have been adopted and enforced through site plan control by numerous municipalities across Ontario.
I trust that you will seriously consider the benefits of incorporating strategies from the CSA A460:19 standard into the next edition of Ontario’s Building Code.