|
 The regulation
of building construction is something that is
administered at the municipal level. Since 1971 towns and rural
municipalities have been empowered to adopt by reference the
National Building Code. The cities through their charters
previously had this power. In 1987 when the Building Code Act
came into effect in Nova Scotia only a few municipalities did not
already have some form of building construction regulation in place.
Under the Building Code Act the Province adopted the National
Building Code as the basis for regulating building construction
in
the province. Under that Act municipalities are required to adopt
a
building by-law and administer it by way of a building inspector.
Approvals are required on matters relating to such things as
structural integrity, electrical and plumbing. The Building Code
Act allows municipalities to recover costs associated with this
approval process.
Building inspectors are also responsible for issuing occupancy
permits, that allow people to actually use a building once all the
necessary building permit requirements have been met. In all of
these stages in the development process responsibility has basically
always rested with or migrated to the municipal level.
| Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities and
the Nova Scotia Housing and Municipal Affairs; Development and
Approval Process Version 2.1; published January 25, 2000; <http://www.unsm.ca/review/pdf/ld_lrmi.pdf>
(accessed September 11, 2001) |
|
