Fire Protection Strategies in Modern Commercial Workspaces
As the Greater Toronto Area steadily returns to the office, the commercial real estate sector is entering a new phase of workplace transformation. Organizations are redesigning their spaces to support densification, hybrid work models, employee wellness, and collaboration, driving a significant increase in commercial tenant fit‑outs across office buildings. These projects allow incoming tenants to customize leased spaces to align with evolving operational and cultural needs.
Modern tenant fit‑outs frequently involve removing existing layouts, adding new partitions, upgrading finishes, and reconfiguring mechanical systems. While these changes enhance functionality and aesthetics, they also introduce added complexity, particularly when it comes to fire protection and code compliance in tenant fit‑outs. Without careful coordination, fit‑out work can inadvertently compromise life‑safety systems, building or fire code compliance, and overall fire performance.Â
The Market Forces Behind Fit-Out Activity
Toronto’s elevated vacancy rates have created a competitive leasing environment. Landlords are offering generous Tenant Improvement Allowances (TIAs) to attract tenants, accelerating the pace of turnover and renovation. With more frequent fit-outs, the risk of overlooking fire safety grows, especially when changes to the interior layout affect sprinkler coverage, alarm systems, occupant load, exit capacity, egress routes, number of washrooms, and accessibility.
Adding a single wall, for example, can eliminate sprinkler protection in part of a unit. Without proper review, such changes can compromise the building’s fire suppression system, increasing the risk of property damage, injury, and legal liability.
The Cost of Non-Compliance
Ontario’s Fire Protection and Prevention Act enforces strict penalties for fire code violations. Individuals can face fines of up to $50,000 for a first offence, while corporations may be fined up to $500,000. Beyond financial consequences, inadequate fire protection can lead to business disruption, reputational damage, and, most importantly threats to occupant safety.
A Smarter Approach: Engaging Fire Protection Experts Early
This is where LRI Engineering plays a vital role. As Canada’s leading fire protection and building code consulting firm, LRI brings decades of experience to tenant fit-out projects. By engaging LRI early in the process, landlords and tenants can ensure that the proposed design complies with the applicable codes and standards while achieving the intended design.
LRI will work closely with the owner or design team to conduct a review of requirements relating to means of egress, occupant loads, number of washrooms, barrier-free accessibility, interior finishes, fire alarm devices, sprinkler design, standpipe coverage, fire safety plan revisions, flammable/combustible liquids, hazardous processes, lithium-ion batteries, and more.
Identifying challenges and complexity early in a project and engaging in a collaborative solution-oriented approach leads to mitigating risk while achieving the design intent.
During the permitting phase for fire protection system designs, LRI works closely with general contractors and mechanical engineers to assess the impact of layout changes on fire protection systems. With ceilings open and trades mobilized, modifications to sprinklers and alarms are more efficient and cost-effective. Once installation is complete, LRI provides engineer-stamped letters confirming compliance—an essential step for occupancy and peace of mind.
Turning Risk into Opportunity
Fit outs are an opportunity for landlords and their tenants to maximize the value of their space while minimizing the risk of compliance challenges. By engaging and integrating fire protection, building code, and fire code expertise into base building or tenant improvement design and construction processes early, stakeholders can deliver on their vision for the project while achieving compliance and mitigating risk.
In a market defined by rapid change and rising expectations, LRI Engineering serves clients by reducing risk, reducing approval time, and providing confidence of expertise.