CSA /ASC B652:23

Preface

This is the first edition of CSA/ASC B652, Accessible dwellings. CSA Group acknowledges that the development of this Standard was made possible, in part, by the financial support of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). The technical requirements in this Standard are minimum levels. They represent a consensus of the Technical Committee members, who represent a broad spectrum of interests. The members are helped and encouraged by the public comments received as a result of the wide distribution of a draft at the public review stage. This Standard is considered suitable for use for conformity assessment within the stated scope of the Standard. This Standard was prepared by the Subcommittee on Accessible Dwellings, under the jurisdiction of the Technical Committee on Accessibility and the Strategic Steering Committee on Health and Well-Being, and has been formally approved by the Technical Committee. This Standard has been developed in compliance with Standards Council of Canada requirements for National Standards of Canada. It has been published as a National Standard of Canada by CSA Group.

Scope

1.1 Application

This Standard can be used in the design and construction of new homes, or in alterations to existing housing, as it pertains to accessibility. This includes the design, construction, and alteration of built environments leading up to, into, and throughout accessible dwellings. The requirements in this Standard are suitable for permanent dwellings, short-term dwellings and visitable dwellings. This includes accommodations such as detached houses, semi- detached houses, houses with a secondary suite, duplexes, triplexes, townhouses, row houses and boarding houses, apartments or condominiums, and communal residential dwellings (e.g., hotels/motels, hostels, dormitories, care facilities). Multi-unit residential accommodations with shared common elements outside the dwelling (e.g., shared parking, exterior and interior paths of travel outside of the dwelling, amenity spaces, washrooms located outside of dwellings, etc.) are addressed in CSA/ASC B651.

1.2 Conflicting requirements

This Standard does not address the application of technical requirements and recommendations through regulations or conformity assessment schemes. In cases where a requirement or method in another standard that is referenced in a regulation conflict with recommendations in this Standard, the regulatory requirements take precedence.

1.3 Dimensions

The values given in SI units are the units of record for the purposes of this Standard. The values given in parentheses are for information and comparison only. This Standard contains minimum requirements based on adult dimensions. Where converted from non-SI units, values have been rounded off with respect to critical dimensions. All dimensions in figures are given in millimetres (mm) and are measured to the centreline, unless otherwise specified.

1.4 Terminology

In this Standard, “shall” is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the standard; “should” is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and “may” is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the Standard. Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material. Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements.