Private seniors’ residences (PSR)

When you are the owner or manager of a private seniors’ residence (PSR), it means that you are lodging more vulnerable clients than the general population. Regarding fire safety, the Building chapter of the Safety Code (CBSC) provides more binding requirements than the ones that were in force at the moment of construction or transformation of the building.

These requirements concern the following, among others:

• fire detection and alarm systems
• smoke detectors and sprinkler systems
• location of the basement exits
• fire resistance of fire separations.

The guide Private seniors’ residences: your obligations [Fr] – PDF (14,9 MB) sums up the obligations to respect according to the type of residence and of clients, and the number of lodgers. It also contains requirements found in other chapters of the Safety Code.

Under the Building Act, the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) may authorize a different or an equivalent measure to the one prescribed by code or regulation where the provisions of the code or regulation are shown not to be reasonably applicable.

Therefore, you may suggest adjustments enabling you to meet the goals and safety standards of the regulation differently. To do so, you must submit a request for equivalent or different measures to the RBQ.

Go to Request for equivalent or different measures [Fr] to get more information. There is a specific procedure for:

• fire alarm systems [Fr]
• electromagnetic locking devices with manual station [Fr]
• delayed action electromagnetic locking devices (3/15) [Fr].

Any questions?

For any questions on the equivalent or different measure procedure, please contact the RBQ by email at mesures.equivalentes.differentes@rbq.gouv.qc.ca or by phone at 418-646-7713.