Commonwealth—The union representing Calgary firefighters is sounding the alarm on a precarious new housing design trend it says is sweeping Canada: apartment buildings built with only one exit stairwell. The union is pushing to ensure the concept doesn’t gain traction in Calgary, warning it risks compromising safety standards that have long protected residents in the event of fires or emergencies.
The current National Building Code in Canada stipulates that every new residential building over two stories has at least two stairwells for evacuation. Such dual exits mean there are options for escape routes when situations like fire or incidents of a structural nature cut off the other avenue of escape. However, jurisdictions recently started experimenting with exceptions to this.
In 2023, the Government of British Columbia updated its building code to allow a single stairwell in buildings up to six stories. Early in 2024, the City of Edmonton issued a how-to guide on applying for single-stair housing projects by using what are called “alternative solutions”—design approaches that meet the intent of the safety code without actually following its requirements. That means an application process in which a developer can propose new ways of meeting the same fire-safety outcomes. The city has already approved two such proposals, and debate about this approach is heating up across the country.
Firefighters from both Los Angeles and Vancouver have weighed in, and now firefighters in Calgary say fewer stairwells will increase danger for residents and responding firefighters. They maintain that no alternative provides the exact same safety benefits created by two separate exits, particularly in heavily populated or high-rise buildings.
Meanwhile, proponents of single-stair construction support this method as one that would show the way out of the crisis in the Canadian housing situation, pointing to such advantages as lower cost and quicker construction, as well as flexibility in urban design. Repurposing a sizeable interior space for living areas, natural light, and ventilation becomes possible when there is one fewer stairwell. Many architects believe that single-stair buildings realize the potential for small urban lots in general, and in older, more densely built neighborhoods, to accommodate far more intensive development than they do today.
Indeed, on narrow plots that might otherwise remain underutilized, developers can build mid-rise apartment buildings, since large areas would not have to be reserved for additional staircases and corridors. One model, known as “point access block” housing, has already seen its successful application in numerous European cities where strict fire regulations coexist with compact and efficient building layouts. Several architects based in Calgary have already conceptually explored these designs.
Students in the University of Calgary’s School of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape partnered with several local firms to test models of point access blocks, going so far as to submit those ideas to international competitions. Proponents say today’s fire suppression systems and materials mean those buildings can be designed safely, which is key to delivering more affordable housing options.
However, despite the increasing discourse, Calgary has yet to receive any proposals for single-stair residential buildings. According to the city’s chief building official, municipal authorities are still open to those proposals—provided they can demonstrate equivalent safety performance through alternate solutions. Any kind of application where one would find a single means of egress would be closely scrutinized, and the Calgary Fire Department would play a crucial role in assessing the feasibility of emergency response, considering the site-specific safety conditions.
The city reiterates its commitment to meeting all life-safety standards. Any single-stair design would need to incorporate enhanced fire protection measures, including sprinkler systems, smoke control technologies, and viable evacuation strategies specific to Calgary’s urban context.
But for the Calgary Firefighters Association, it’s less about innovation and more about basic principles of safety. The union asserts that two stairwells are necessary for efficient evacuation and emergency response, ensuring redundancy in the event of a blocked or compromised route. It says the risks of changing the standard outweigh the potential benefits, as cities and buildings grow ever denser.
With a new city council coming into office, the union representing firefighters said it will continue to keep the issue in front of municipal leaders to argue against any erosion of building code standards. The fight reflects a bigger national debate about how to balance pressing housing needs at the same time as uncompromisingly upholding safety standards. Single-stair construction is a creative tool for delivering more affordable housing faster, say supporters. To opponents, it is a shortcut that could cost lives. Calgary finds itself at a crossroads, weighing innovation against safety as Canada’s urban design norms continue to change.
