What does the term 'harmonization' refer to in the context of construction codes?

The term 'harmonization' in the context of construction codes refers to the process of aligning provincial and territorial codes with the model National Construction Codes. This alignment helps ensure consistency and uniformity across different jurisdictions, which is essential for facilitating construction practices, improving safety standards, and ensuring that building regulations are cohesive and comprehensible. Harmonization seeks to reduce discrepancies between various codes, allowing for a more integrated approach to building safety and compliance across Canada.

Establishing a uniform code for residential and commercial buildings does not fully capture the essence of harmonization since it is more focused on aligning existing codes rather than creating a singular code. Developing new codes from scratch for each province would contradict the objective of harmonization, which aims at consistency rather than independence. Finally, eliminating all regional codes in favor of a national code would not only undermine local governance but also the specific needs and contexts of different regions, which harmonization seeks to respect and incorporate rather than erase.