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Publication summary of NBC documents
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Publication summary of NBC editions and related documents

The first National Building Code of Canada (NBC) was published in 1941. Subsequent editions were published in 1953, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, and 2005.

Note that the NBC is a model code which has no legal status until adopted by a province, territory or municipal government. There is often a gap of several years between the publication of the model code and its adoption, at which time the government authority may put a different date on the cover of its code. For example, the Ontario Building Code 1997 is based on the NBC 1995. Prior to the 1970s, municipal governments rather than provincial governments adopted building regulations.

Supplements and user's guides are published to provide code users with additional information to assist in the design of buildings but are not legally enforceable documents.

1941

National Building Code 1941

1953

National Building Code of Canada 1953 (bound and loose-leaf formats)

1960

National Building Code of Canada 1960 (bound and loose-leaf formats)

Revision Series 1 January 1962
Revision Series 2 July 1962
Revision Series 3 January 1963

Five supplements to the NBC 1960 were published:

Supp. No. 1 Climate Information for Building Design in Canada
Supp. No. 2 Fire-Resistance Ratings
Supp. No. 3 Pressure Coefficients for Wind Loads
Supp. No. 4 Handbook of Plumbing Sketches
Supp. No. 5 Housing Standards Canada 1962

Revisions & Errata March 1962
Errata July 1962
Reprinted in 1963 with all corrections and revisions

1965

National Building Code of Canada 1965 (bound in one volume; parts of code available in 6 in. x 9 in. booklets)

Errata July 1965
Revisions December 1965
Revisions April 1966
Revisions December 1966
Revisions December 1967
Revisions December 1968
Second Printing, 1966 (includes all corrections and revisions to January 1966)
Third Printing, 1967 (includes all corrections and revisions to January 1967)

In 1965, seven supplements to the NBC were published in a loose-leaf binder:

Supp. No. 1 Climatic Information for Building Design in Canada
Supp. No. 2 Fire-Performance Ratings
Supp. No. 3 Structural Information for Building Design in Canada
Supp. No. 4 Handbook of Plumbing Sketches
Supp. No. 5 Residential Standards Canada 1965
Supp. No. 6 Farm Building Standards
Supp. No. 7 Building Standards for the Handicapped

Additional publications were published:

Building Code for the North - 1968
Supplement to the Building Code for the North - 1968
Various commentaries - 1968

1970

National Building Code of Canada 1970 (casebound and paperback editions)

Change Series 1 - Errata & Revisions July 1971
Change Series 2 - Errata & Revisons July 1972
(incorporates revisions from Change Series 1)
Change Series 3 - Revisions October 1973
(incorporates revisions from Change Series 1 & 2)
Second Printing, September 1971 (includes corrections and errata to April 1971)
Third Printing, October 1972

In 1971, three supplements were updated and published:

Supp. No. 1 Climatic Information for Building Design in Canada 1970
Supp. No. 4 Canadian Structural Design Manual 1970
Supp. No. 5 Building Standards for the Handicapped 1970

Additional documents were published:

Canadian Code for Residential Construction 1970 (Residential Standards)
Canadian Code for Construction Safety 1970

1975

National Building Code of Canada 1975 (soft cover)

Errata July 1975

Four NBC supplements were updated and published:

Supp. No. 1 Climatic Information for Building Design in Canada 1975
Supp. No. 2 Fire-Performance Ratings 1975
Supp. No. 4 Commentaries on Part 4 of the NBC of Canada 1975
Supp. No. 5 Building Standards for the Handicapped 1975

Additional documents were published:

Measures for Fire Safety in High Buildings 1973
Canadian Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Code 1975
Canadian Construction Safety Code 1975
Residential Standards 1975

Errata July 1975

1977

National Building Code of Canada 1977

Errata 1977
Second Printing 1978 (incorporates errata of 1977)
Revisions June 1978

Four supplements were updated and published:

Supp. No. 1 Climatic Information for Building Design in Canada 1977
Supp. No. 2 Fire-Performance Ratings 1977
Supp. No. 4 Commentaries on Part 4 of the NBC of Canada 1977
Supp. No. 5 Building Standards for the Handicapped 1977

Five other existing documents were updated:

Canadian Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning Code 1977
Canadian Construction Safety Code 1977
Residential Standards 1977

Errata and Revisions December 1978

Measures for Fire Safety in High Buildings 1977

Additional documents were published:

Span Tables for Wood Joists, Rafters, Trusses and Beams 1977
Commentary on Parts 1 and 2 of the NBC 1977

1980

National Building Code of Canada 1980

Errata May 1980
Revisions & Errata January 1981
Revisions & Errata June 1981
Second Printing, July 1982 (incorporates errata issued to 1981)
Revisions March 1982
Revisions & Errata January 1983
Revisions June 1983
Revisions January 1984

One supplement was updated and published:

Supp. No. 5 Building Standards for the Handicapped 1981

Additional documents were published:

Supplement to the NBC 1980
Commentary on Part 3 (Use and Occupancy of the NBC 1980)
Administrative Requirements for use with the NBC 1980

1985

National Building Code of Canada 1985

First Errata October 1985
First Revisions January 1986
Second Errata January 1986
Second Revisions July 1986
Second Printing, March 1987 (includes revisions and errata to January 1986)
Third Revisions November 1986
Third Errata January 1988
Fourth Revisions January 1987
Fifth Revisions January 1988
Sixth Revisions December 1988
Seventh Revisions January 1989

Additional documents were updated and published:

Supplement to the NBC 1985
Commentary on Part 3 of the NBC 1985
Administrative Requirements for Use with the NBC 1985

1990

National Building Code of Canada 1990 (full size loose-leaf)

First Revisions & Errata January 1991
Second Revisons & Errata January 1992
Correction to Second Revisions July 1992
Third Revisions September 1992
Fourth Revisons & Errata January 1993
Fifth Revisions & Errata January 1994
Second Printing, September 1991 (includes revisions & errata of January 1991)
Third Printing, May 1994 (includes revisions & errata to September 1992)

National Building Code of Canada 1990 (soft cover, reduced size, Second Printing)

(compact edition started with 2nd printing)
Second Revisions & Errata January 1992
Third Revisions & Errata September 1992
Fourth Revisions & Errata January 1993
Fifth Revisions & Errata January 1994
Third Printing, March 1993 (includes revisions & errata to September 1992)

Additional documents were published:

Supplement to the NBC 1990
Guidelines for Application of Part 3 of the NBC to Existing Buildings (1993)
Commentary on Part 5 Wind, Water and Vapour Protection (1994)
Canadian Housing Code 1990

First Revisions & Errata January 1991
Second Revisions & Errata January 1992
Third Revisions & Errata January 1993

1995

National Building Code of Canada 1995 (loose-leaf, full size; soft cover, reduced size; CD-ROM)

First Revisions & Errata July 1998
Second Revisions & Errata November 1999
Third Revisions & Errata June 2001
Fourth Revisions & Errata April 2002

Additional documents were published:

User's Guide - NBC 1995 Structural Commentaries (Part 4) (1996)
User's Guide - NBC 1995 Fire Protection, Occupant Safety and Accessibility (Part 3) -- 1997
National Housing Code of Canada 1998 and Illustrated Guide
User's Guide - NBC 1995 Environmental Separation (Part 5) -- 1999

2005

National Building Code of Canada 2005 (loose-leaf, full size; soft cover, reduced size; CD-ROM)

Additional documents were published:

User's Guide - NBC 2005: Structural Commentaries (Part 4 of Division B)

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Published: 2006-11-10	Important Notices