A provincial commission has ruled upgrades are needed to the fire alarm system at the new Prescott and Russell Residence in Hawkesbury before the facility may be occupied.
On Monday, March 30, the United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) announced it had been informed by the Ontario Building Code Commission (BCC) that the design of the fire alarm system installed at the new Residence on Spence Avenue had been deemed non-compliant with the Ontario Building Code. The BCC is the provincial commission for reviewing decisions made by municipal building departments. The Town of Hawkesbury building department is responsible for ensuring the new Residence building complies with the Ontario Building Code before it may be occupied.
In October 2025, the BCC was asked to resolve the question of if the fire alarm system is compliant with the building code.
“We are relieved to have reached a decision and to finally be able to begin the final phase of the new Residence construction project,” said Stéphane Parisien, Chief Administrative Officer of the UCPR, in a statement issued on Monday. “We would like to thank the Town of Hawkesbury for its collaboration throughout this process.”
The UCPR will now begin the work required to upgrade the fire alarm system currently installed in the building and to obtain the occupancy permit. This includes the installation of additional audible devices in the facility’s resident rooms, which will require notably extensive rewiring.
Once the Town of Hawkesbury issues the occupancy permit, Ontario’s Ministry of Long-Term Care will conduct its own quality assurance inspections.
Due to the delays, the UCPR cannot project when residents will relocate to the new facility from the old Residence, located nearby.
“It is impossible for us to determine the official move-in date of residents before all required approvals have been obtained,” said Parisien. “Our primary objective remains to enable the move-in of residents as soon as possible.”
The UCPR has specified that the fire alarm system in the new Residence was installed in accordance with the design criteria set out in the architectural plans for the new Prescott and Russell Residence.
“We will also explore our recourse options to recover the financial losses related to the design of the facility’s fire alarm system, which has proven to be non-compliant, as well as the delays this issue has caused to the project,” Parisien concluded.
