Commercial Fire Protection FAQ

The Ontario Fire Code adopts NFPA 10, which sets four levels: a monthly visual check by the owner or staff, an annual inspection and maintenance by a qualified technician, 6-year internal maintenance for stored-pressure dry chemical units, and a hydrostatic test every 5 years (CO₂, water, foam and wet chemical units) or 12 years (dry chemical units).

Read the full inspection schedule.

You can do the monthly visual check yourself: confirm each unit is in place and accessible, the gauge is in the green, the pin and tamper seal are intact, and there is no damage. Keep a log. The annual inspection, 6-year maintenance and hydrostatic tests must be done by a qualified technician and recorded on the unit's tag.

It depends on the fire risk in each area. Most offices, shops and warehouses use multipurpose dry chemical (ABC) units. Commercial kitchens also need a wet chemical Class K unit near the cooking line. Server and electrical rooms usually get CO₂ or clean agent units that leave no residue. See which class goes where.

Under NFPA 10, no point in an ordinary (Class A) hazard area should be more than 75 feet of walking distance from an extinguisher, and a Class K unit must be within 30 feet of commercial cooking appliances. Units must stay visible and unobstructed, with signage where they are hard to see.

A failed unit is taken out of service and repaired, serviced or replaced right away. Our technicians carry replacement units on the truck, so you finish the visit compliant. Leaving a failed unit on the wall can lead to a failed fire inspection and problems with your insurer.

A hydrostatic test pressurizes the empty cylinder with water beyond its rated pressure to check that the metal is still sound. It is due every 5 years for CO₂, water, foam and wet chemical extinguishers and every 12 years for stored-pressure dry chemical units. A cylinder that fails is taken out of service permanently.

Conventional extinguishers can knock down the flames but rarely stop a battery in thermal runaway. AVD (aqueous vermiculite dispersion) extinguishers cool the cells and coat them with a heat barrier, which reduces the chance of reignition. They add to, not replace, your regular extinguishers. Learn how AVD works.

Since January 1, 2026, the Ontario Fire Code requires fire alarm systems to be inspected and tested to CAN/ULC-S536:2019. That means a full annual inspection in which every device is tested and recorded on the standard ULC forms, plus routine daily and monthly checks by the building. See our fire alarm inspection service.

It is the national standard for inspecting and testing fire alarm systems. Ontario adopted the 2019 edition on January 1, 2026, replacing the 2004 edition. Inspections must be recorded on the standard ULC report forms, batteries are load-tested, and the system description must be kept current in the building. What changed in 2026.

A conventional system reports alarms by zone, so you know the area but not the exact device. An addressable system identifies the specific device that activated, which matters in multi-tenant and multi-floor buildings. Conventional systems cost less up front; addressable systems are easier to expand and troubleshoot.

Yes. Our partnered ULC-listed central station monitors your system 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for fire, and can also cover intrusion, medical, gas and water alerts. When a signal comes in, operators dispatch the right emergency service.

Yes. We service most major manufacturers and regularly take over existing systems, including moving the monitoring to our central station. We start with an audit and a compliance report, then give you a clear upgrade path if one is needed.

Sprinkler systems follow NFPA 25, which the Ontario Fire Code references. Control valves and gauges are checked weekly or monthly, alarm devices quarterly, the whole system annually (including the main drain test), and the inside of the piping every 5 years. See the full NFPA 25 schedule.

NFPA 25 places responsibility on the building owner, even when a lease hands day-to-day work to a tenant. The owner can hire a qualified contractor, but the obligation to keep the system inspected and the records complete stays with ownership.

Call 905-519-BOSS right away. A single discharging head can release a large volume of water until the system is shut down. Our 24/7 emergency team shuts off the water, drains the system, replaces the head and puts the system back in service.

Yes. Annual fire pump flow testing is an NFPA 25 requirement, especially in high-rise buildings, and it is one of the items most often missed. We test, document and report on fire pumps as part of your sprinkler program.

Under NFPA 96, which the Ontario Fire Code references, a commercial kitchen suppression system must be inspected and serviced by a qualified technician every 6 months. Staff should also do a quick monthly visual check. Read the kitchen suppression rules.

No. Hood cleaning removes grease from the hood, ducts and fan, and its frequency depends on how much you cook. The suppression inspection services the fire-extinguishing system above the cooking line. They are separate requirements, and passing one does not satisfy the other.

Yes. NFPA 10 requires a portable Class K (wet chemical) extinguisher within 30 feet of commercial cooking appliances, in addition to the fixed suppression system. It is one of the most frequently failed kitchen inspection items.

The system has to be professionally serviced, reset and returned to working order before cooking resumes, including replacing the detection links and checking the nozzles. We offer same-day discharge service across the GTA. Call 905-519-BOSS.

We inspect and service wet chemical kitchen suppression systems from all major manufacturers, for full-service restaurants, quick-service chains, ghost kitchens and other commercial cooking operations, and also service clean agent and paint booth systems. See fire suppression systems and kitchen hood suppression.

Emergency lights and exit signs are checked monthly with a short push-to-test to confirm they light on battery power, and tested annually on battery power for 30 minutes. Keep a written record of each test. See our emergency lighting service.

In most commercial buildings, yes. Exit signs must stay lit during a power failure, so illuminated signs need battery backup or connection to an emergency power supply. We can review your building and recommend the right signs.

Passive graphics are colour-coded floor plans posted in a building that show firefighters where each fire alarm zone, device and panel is, along with exits and key equipment. They help responders find the source of an alarm quickly. See our passive graphics service.

We deliver framed, ready-to-install graphics within two weeks of receiving your drawings. If you have an inspection coming up, call us and we will do our best to expedite.

Yes. Whenever the floor plan or the fire alarm system changes, the graphics should be updated so they match the building. Send us the revised drawings and we refresh the affected sheets.

On January 1, 2026, amendments (O. Reg. 87/25 and O. Reg. 303/25) adopted CAN/ULC-S536:2019 for fire alarm inspection and CAN/ULC-S537:2019 for verification, expanded carbon monoxide alarm requirements, added integrated testing of interconnected life safety systems to CAN/ULC-S1001, and updated rules for hazardous materials, farm buildings and cannabis extraction. Read the full breakdown.

Under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, an individual can be fined up to $50,000 for a first offence ($100,000 for a subsequent one) or jailed for up to a year. A corporation can be fined up to $500,000 for a first offence and $1.5 million for a subsequent one. The Act also allows administrative penalties issued by order.

The Ontario Fire Code places duties on the owner, a term that covers anyone with control over the building or part of it. In practice, landlords and tenants often split responsibilities in the lease, for example the landlord handles the sprinkler and alarm systems while tenants handle extinguishers in their unit. Check your lease and keep records for anything you are responsible for.

Buildings required to have a fire alarm system generally need a Fire Safety Plan under the Ontario Fire Code. The plan sets out emergency procedures, staff duties, and how fire protection equipment is inspected and maintained. It must be kept up to date and available on site for fire officials.

Keep your Fire Safety Plan, fire alarm inspection reports on the ULC forms, sprinkler inspection and testing records, extinguisher tags and monthly check logs, emergency lighting test logs, kitchen suppression service reports, and fire drill and training records. Inspectors check records as closely as equipment.

We serve commercial and industrial properties in 12 GTA cities: Mississauga, Toronto, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington, Milton, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham, Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough. Multi-location clients elsewhere in Canada are covered through our National Accounts program.

Yes. Same-day service is available across the GTA for urgent needs such as failed inspections, discharged equipment and pre-inspection deadlines. Call 905-519-BOSS and tell us it is urgent.

Our office is open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. Emergency dispatch is available 24/7 for urgent problems such as sprinkler discharges and fire alarm panel failures.

No. Boss Fire works exclusively with commercial and industrial properties: restaurants, retail, offices, warehouses, industrial sites, medical and professional offices, and multi-location chains.

It depends on the number and type of devices, the systems on site and your service schedule, so we quote each property individually. Quotes are free and itemized. Request a free quote or call 905-519-BOSS.

Yes. A technician walks your property, identifies every fire protection system in place, flags compliance gaps and gives you a clear plan, at no charge and with no obligation. You can also try our free compliance checker first.

Yes. Boss Fire carries $5,000,000 in liability insurance. Certificates of insurance are available on request for landlords, property managers and tenants.

Yes. Our National Accounts program gives multi-location businesses one point of contact, one inspection calendar and consolidated reporting across every site. Learn about National Accounts.