What responsibility does the upper-tier municipality have under subsection (5)?

The responsibility of the upper-tier municipality under subsection (5) is clearly defined as enforcing the Act specifically in municipalities that are party to an agreement. This means that when municipalities agree to work together, the upper-tier has a delegated role to ensure compliance and enforcement of the relevant building regulations and standards. This structure fosters collaboration and allows for more efficient enforcement of the Act, ensuring that all participating municipalities adhere to the same regulations.

The agreement between municipalities can often be necessary to coordinate resources, such as inspectors and compliance efforts, providing a unified approach to building code enforcement. This is particularly important in areas where there may be shared services or overlapping jurisdictions. The focus on agreements underscores the importance of cooperation between different levels of government within the municipal framework.

In contrast, some of the other choices suggest a lack of responsibility or a limited scope of enforcement which does not align with the intent of subsection (5). This subsection is specifically designed to empower upper-tier municipalities to fulfill an active role in ensuring compliance in partner municipalities.