A Building Official is a person appointed by a municipality or other principal authority to enforce the Building Code Act, 1992, and the Ontario Building Code. They often carry different titles such as Chief Building Official, supervisor, manager, inspector and plans examiner, but all are members of the same profession.
A Building Official carries out the following activities:

• Provide technical and legislative information to designers, contractors, municipal elected officials and the public.
• Examine and inspect construction within a municipality to ensure compliance with the design plans, the Building Code and other applicable regulations.
• Applying, interpreting and enforcing the Building Code requirements.
• Employing all of ones technical and personal skills to gain voluntary compliance to the Code.
• Employing legislative actions such as issuing orders and initiating court proceedings to gain compliance if not given voluntarily.
• Co-operating with other officials to act within the interest of the public.

Being a Building Official calls for a combination of technical knowledge and an ability to deal with the public, this requires tact and good judgment.

The CBO will manage, administer and enforce the Ontario Building Code Act and its regulations, municipal by-laws and all other applicable legislation related to buildings, structures, septic disposal systems and property standards.

Henry Van Ael, CBCO

Chief Building Official, Building Inspector

Town of Rainy River
PO Box 488, Rainy River, ON  
P0W 1L0
Work: 807-852-3978
Fax: 807-852-3553
Cell: 807-276-0473
Email: [email protected]