Built Environment Accessibility Standard Regulations

made under Section 71 of the

Accessibility Act

S.N.S. 2017, c. 2

O.I.C. 2025-70 (effective March 6, 2025), N.S. Reg. 48/2025

Table of Contents

Please note: this table of contents is provided for convenience of reference and does not form part of the regulations.
Click here to go to the text of the regulations.

Part I - Technical Design Requirements

Barrier-free paths of travel

Tactile attention indicators

Curb ramps

Exterior ramps

Site selection evaluation

Exterior stairs

Accessible parking spaces in parking areas

On-street accessible parking spaces

Sidewalks

Temporary sidewalks

Pedestrian control signals

Placement of defibrillators

Lockers

Pools

Outdoor public eating areas

Outdoor water bottle filling stations

Part II - Plan Development Requirements

Availability of plans

Development of plan for accessible outdoor spaces

Snow and ice control

Maintenance of parking areas

Plan for accessible entrance

Fire emergency evacuation plan

Citation

1 These regulations may be cited as the Built Environment Accessibility Standard Regulations.

Definitions

2 In these regulations,

“accessible parking space” means a parking space designated for use by persons who have an accessible parking permit;

“accessible pedestrian signal” means a device that assists pedestrians with visual disabilities with the use of the “walk” and “don’t walk” signals when they are attempting to cross a street;

“barrier-free entrance” has the same meaning as in the Nova Scotia Building Code;

“beach access route” means a route that is constructed and intended for public use and is used to access an area of a beach that is intended for recreational use by the public from 1 or more of the following:

(i) parking areas,

(ii) recreational trails,

(iii) exterior paths of travel,

(iv) amenities;

“clear floor space” means the amount of unobstructed floor or ground space required to accommodate a person using a mobility device, such as a wheelchair, scooter, cane, crutch or walker;

“colour contrast” means a 70% or greater difference in colour between a part of the built environment and the surrounding surface;

“construction” means the phase of a project that involves the physical alteration or modification of any aspect of the built environment and occurs after the planning and design phases of the project;

“construction zone” means a physical area affected by construction;

“CSA B651” means CSA standard CSA/ASC B651-23, Accessible Design for the Built Environment, as supplemented, amended, added to, replaced or superseded;

“curb ramp” means a sloped surface that allows people to move safely between vehicular and pedestrian routes, but does not include driveways;

“Dynamic Symbol of Access” means an accessibility symbol that depicts a person seated in a wheelchair pointing to the right and leaning forward as if in motion;

“firm and stable ground surface” means a floor or ground surface that does not allow any of the following to sink into it:

(i) canes,

(ii) crutches,

(iii) the wheels of mobility devices;

“frontcountry campground” means a campground or portion of a campground that offers campsites that are primarily accessed by vehicle;

“highway” means

(i) a public street, highway, sidewalk, lane, road or alley,

(ii) a part of a public park, a beach or other public property that is accessible to the public for driving motor vehicles and not solely for driving off-highway vehicles, or

(iii) privately owned property that is designed to be used by and is accessible to the public for driving motor vehicles and not solely for driving off-highway vehicles;

“illumination” means the combined amount and intensity of lighting, measured in lux;

“installation” means the act of placing, applying, erecting, anchoring or securing an aspect of the built environment;

“International Symbol of Accessibility” means an accessibility symbol that depicts a person seated in a wheelchair pointing to the right as depicted in ISO standard ISO 7001, “Graphical symbols—Public information symbols”, as supplemented, amended, added to, replaced or superseded;

“lux” means the standardised unit of measurement of illumination;

“multi-purpose recreation centre” means a building owned by a prescribed public sector body that is intended for public use and that contains at least 2 of the following:

(i) a gymnasium,

(ii) a pool,

(iii) an ice pad,

(iv) a track,

(v) a racket sport court,

(vi) a fitness room,

(vii) a community gathering room;

“municipality” means 1 of the following:

(i) a regional municipality,

(ii) a municipality of a county or district,

(iii) a town,

(iv) a village, as continued under the Municipal Government Act;

“Nova Scotia Building Code” has the same meaning as in the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations made under the Building Code Act;

“on-street parking spaces” means 1 or more parking spaces located on a highway for which a fee may or may not be charged;

“operating controls” includes, but is not limited to, any of the following:

(i) handles,

(ii) locks,

(iii) faucets,

(iv) switches,

(v) activation devices;

“outdoor classroom” means a dedicated area outside of a school that has fixed seating and is intended to be used for instructional purposes by students and staff;

“outdoor play space” means an area intended for public use that includes play equipment, such as swings or slides, or features, such as logs, rocks, sand or water, that are designed and placed to provide play opportunities and experiences for children and caregivers;

“outdoor public eating area” means an area that is intended for public use and to be used to consume food, and includes public parks, hospital grounds and university campuses;

“parking area” means an open area parking lot that is intended for public use and to be used to temporarily park vehicles;

“pedestrian facilities” means a sidewalk, intersection, crosswalk, street, curb, curb ramp, walkway, pedestrian right of way or other pedestrian pathway;

“prescribed public sector body” means an entity prescribed as a public sector body under the Accessibility Act General Regulations made under the Accessibility Act;

“recreational trail” means a trail that is intended for public use and to be used for recreational and leisure purposes and that is managed or operated by the Government, a prescribed public sector body, a registered not-for-profit organization that develops trails or an incorporated trail group;

“slip-resistant”, in relation to a surface, means the provision of sufficient frictional counterforce to the forces exerted to permit safe movement;

“Temporary Workplace Traffic Control Manual” means the Temporary Workplace Traffic Control Manual published by the Department of Public Works, as supplemented, amended, added to, replaced or superseded.

Application

3 (1) These regulations apply to aspects of the built environment that are owned, operated, maintained or controlled by a specific organization or a class of organizations to which these regulations explicitly apply.

(2) The technical design requirements of these regulations apply to aspects of the built environment that are any of the following:

(a) newly constructed, with construction beginning on or after April 1, 2026;

(b) newly installed, with installation beginning on or after April 1, 2026;

(3) These regulations do not apply to any of the following:

(a) federally regulated infrastructure;

(b) aspects of the built environment that are governed by the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations made under the Building Code Act;

(c) aspects of the built environment that are governed by the Fire Safety Regulations made under the Fire Safety Act;

(d) aspects of the built environment that are private residences with 3 or fewer dwelling units.

Public use

4 For the purposes of these regulations, an aspect of the built environment that is primarily designed or intended for public use has all of the following characteristics:

(a) it is open to members of the public on a continuous, periodic or occasional basis;

(b) a fee may or may not be charged for its use.

Part I - Technical Design Requirements

Barrier-free paths of travel

5 (1) A barrier-free path of travel that is required by these regulations must meet all of the following requirements:

(a) it must have an unobstructed width of at least 1600 mm;

(b) it must not have any opening that permits the passage of a sphere that is more than 13 mm in diameter;

(d) it must be stable, firm and slip-resistant;

(e) it must have a cross slope ratio of no more than 1:50;

(f) it must be bevelled wherever there is a change in its level of no less than 6 mm and no more than 13 mm and the bevel must have a slope ratio of no more than 1:2;

(g) it must have a sloped surface or ramp at every change in its level that is more than 13 mm;

(h) it must have drainage that prevents the accumulation of ice and water;

(i) it must not allow water from building downspouts or other drainage systems to flow across it.

(2) A barrier-free path of travel may include ramps, passenger elevators, inclined moving walks or passenger-elevating devices to overcome a difference in level.

Tactile attention indicators

6 A tactile attention indicator that assists persons with low vision or blindness by signalling a change in elevation, a vehicular route or some other obstruction and that is required by these regulations must meet all of the following requirements:

(a) it must be a surface composed of truncated domes that meet all of the following requirements:

(i) they must have a base diameter of no less than 23 mm and no more than 36 mm,

(ii) they must have a top diameter that is no less than 50% and no more than 65% of the size of their base diameter,

(iii) they must have a height of no less than 4 mm and no more than 5 mm,

(iv) when walked on, they must make the surface they are on feel noticeably different from the surrounding surface,

(v) they must have a centre-to-centre distance of no less than 41 mm and no more than 61 mm between them and adjacent domes,

(vi) they must have a base-to-base distance of at least 16.5 mm between them and adjacent domes,

(vii) they must be arranged in a square grid pattern;

(b) it must be slip-resistant;

(d) it must have a high colour contrast with adjacent surfaces.

Curb ramps

7 (1) A newly installed curb ramp must align with the direction of travel and meet all of the following requirements:

(a) it must have a clear width of at least 1200 mm, exclusive of any flared sides;

(b) it must have a running slope ratio of no less than 1:15 (6.66%) and no more than 1:10 (10%);

(d) it must have flared sides that have a slope with a ratio of no more than 1:10, measured parallel to the curb line;

(e) if it is located at a pedestrian crossing, it must have tactile attention indicators that meet all of the following requirements:

(i) they must be no less than 600 mm and no more than 650 mm in depth,

(ii) they must extend across the full width of the curb ramp,

(iii) they must be set back no less than 300 mm and no more than 350 mm from the curb edge.

(2) An existing curb ramp immediately adjacent to a portion of sidewalk that is being replaced must meet the requirements of subsection (1).

Exterior ramps

8 A newly constructed exterior ramp that is not connected to a building and that is connected to a barrier-free path of travel must meet all of the following requirements:

(a) it must have a width of at least 1200 mm;

(b) it must have a running slope ratio of no less than 1:20 (5%) and no more than 1:12 (8.33%);

(d) it must have level landings that are at least 1700 mm long by 1700 mm wide at all of the following locations:

(i) at the top and bottom of the ramp,

(ii) at all changes of ramp direction.

Site selection evaluation

9 Prescribed public sector bodies and the Government must consider all of the following characteristics when evaluating new sites for an outdoor space primarily designed for public use or for a building primarily designed for public use:

(a) the availability of public transportation at the site;

(b) the proximity of the site to pedestrian facilities;

(d) the availability of safe drop-off locations at the site;

(e) the proximity of the site to the community and clientele that the space or building is intended to serve;

(f) the site’s topography.

Exterior stairs

10 (1) Newly constructed exterior stairs that are not associated with a building and that are connected to a barrier-free path of travel must meet all of the following requirements:

(a) each flight of the stairs must have uniform risers and runs;

(b) they must have a tread surface finish that is slip-resistant;

(d) they must have a run between successive steps that is at least 280 mm;

(e) they must have closed risers;

(f) they must have a tread nosing projection of no more than 38 mm and no abrupt undersides;

(g) they must have colour contrast markings that extend across the full tread width of the leading edge of each step;

(h) they must have a clear headspace of at least 2100 mm;

(i) they must have tactile attention indicators that are built into or applied to the walking surface and that meet all of the following requirements:

(i) they are located at the top of each flight of the stairs,

(ii) they extend across the full tread width to a depth of at least 610 mm and commence 1 tread depth from the edge of the stairs;

(j) they must have handrails on both sides that comply with the handrail requirements in Clause 5.4.4 of CSA B651;

(k) they must have a guard that meets all of the following criteria:

(i) it is at least 920 mm in height, measured vertically to the top of the guard from a line drawn through the outside edges of the stair nosings,

(ii) it is 1070 mm in height, measured from the surface of the landing,

(iii) it is on each side of the stairway wherever the difference in elevation between ground level and the top of the stair is more than 600 mm.

(2) Despite clause (1)(k), a guard is not required on any side of the stairs where there is a wall.

Accessible parking spaces in parking areas

11 (1) Subject to subsection (4), this Section applies to all new and redeveloped parking areas that are not required to comply with the accessibility requirements of the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations made under the Building Code Act.

(2) The number of accessible parking spaces that parking areas must include is as set out in the following table:

Number of parking spaces	Number of accessible parking spaces required
1 to 10	1
11 to 35	2
36 to 50	3
51 to 99	4
100	5
each additional set of up to 50 spaces that is in excess of 100 spaces	1 additional space

(3) An accessible parking space must meet all of the following requirements:

(a) it must be designed to include a barrier-free path of travel that extends to the entrance of the parking area and meets all of the following requirements:

(i) it must have vertically oriented signage that features a colour contrast at every point on it where a pedestrian crosses traffic,

(ii) it must have an average illumination of 50 lux and every part of it must have an illumination of at least 10 lux,

(iii) if it requires a curb ramp, the curb ramp must have tactile attention indicators and colour contrasting elements,

(iv) if it is on a hardened surface, such as concrete or asphalt, it must have pavement markings;

(b) it must be at least 2600 mm wide;

(c) it must be accessible by an access aisle that is at least 2000 mm wide and that is shared by no more than 1 adjacent parking space;

(d) it must be clearly marked with the International Symbol of Access or the Dynamic Symbol of Access;

(e) it must be identified by a sign located at least 1500 mm above ground level.

(4) This Section does not apply to parking areas that are exclusively used by 1 or more of the following types of vehicles:

(a) buses;

(b) delivery vehicles;

(d) medical transportation vehicles, such as ambulances;

(e) impounded vehicles;

(f) vehicles parked in a carpool parking lot with space for no more than 15 vehicles.

(5) A parking area is considered to be redeveloped if its parking spaces have been redistributed within the existing parking area or more than 50% of the parking area has been resurfaced.

On-street accessible parking spaces

12 (1) When a prescribed public sector body or the Government is developing on-street parking spaces, it must consult with persons with disabilities on the need for, location of and design of accessible parking spaces.

(2) A new accessible on-street parking space must meet all of the following requirements:

(a) it must be at least 2600 mm wide and at least 5500 mm long;

(b) it must have an access aisle that is at least 2000 mm wide directly behind it;

(c) for an on-street parking space that is adjacent to a curb, it must include a barrier-free path of travel to a curb ramp.

Sidewalks

13 (1) A prescribed public sector body or the Government must comply with all of the following when designing a sidewalk:

(a) Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads published by the Transportation Association of Canada, as supplemented, amended, added to, replaced or superseded;

(b) for pedestrian crossing components, Clause 8.3.5 of CSA B651.

(2) Street furniture, signage, banners, flowerpots, waste receptacles and any other objects placed on sidewalks must not obstruct a barrier-free path of travel.

Temporary sidewalks

14 (1) This Section applies to all temporary sidewalks installed or re-installed on or after April 1, 2026, including those that are installed to accommodate sidewalk cafés, restaurant patios and construction zones.

(2) A temporary sidewalk must meet all of the following requirements:

(a) it must have a firm and level surface;

(b) it must be slip-resistant;

(d) it must be at least 1600 mm wide;

(e) it must have a barrier on the side that is located next to vehicular travel that is at least 810 mm high and that features reflective elements;

(f) if it is covered, it must have at least 2100 mm of clearance.

(3) If a temporary sidewalk is required due to construction, pedestrian signage must be installed in accordance with the Temporary Workplace Traffic Control Manual.

(4) If lighting is placed on a temporary sidewalk, it must not do any of the following:

(a) interfere with a traffic signal light, traffic control sign or traffic device;

(b) obstruct or interfere with the movement of motorists or pedestrians;

(d) move or appear to move.

(5) If the requirements of this Section cannot be achieved because of the nature and location of a construction zone, a crosswalk to a barrier-free sidewalk must be installed before any construction-related obstruction occurs.

(6) If access to the barrier-free entrance of a property is not available due to a temporary sidewalk, alternative barrier-free access to the property entrance must be provided.

Pedestrian control signals

15 A newly installed or replaced traffic control signal system with pedestrian control signals must include accessible pedestrian signals that meet the standards in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Canada published by the Transportation Association of Canada, as supplemented, amended, added to, replaced or superseded.

Placement of defibrillators

16 (1) A defibrillator installed by a prescribed public sector body or the Government in a building that has a barrier-free entrance and is primarily designed for public use must meet all of the following requirements:

(a) it must be located on a wall located next to a barrier-free path of travel;

(b) it must be located next to a clear floor space that is at least 820 mm wide and 1390 mm long;

(2) Despite clause (1)(c), if the defibrillator protrudes more than 100 mm from the wall, it must meet 1 of the following requirements to ensure that it is cane detectable:

(a) it must be mounted no more than 685 mm above floor level;

(b) it must have a tactile attention indicator of at least 600 mm wide by 600 mm long attached to the floor in front of it.

Lockers

17 (1) If new lockers are installed in a multi-use recreation centre, they must include accessible lockers that meet all of the following requirements:

(a) they must be located next to a barrier-free path of travel;

(b) they must have a clear floor space in front of them that is at least 820 mm wide by 1390 mm long when the locker door is open;

(d) they must be operable with 1 hand in a closed fist position and without requiring tight grasping, pinching with fingers or twisting of the wrist;

(e) they must be located in close proximity to an accessible bench that meets the requirements of Section 20;

(f) they must not allow things to be stored on top of them.

(2) The number of accessible lockers that must be provided for the purposes of subsection (1) is as set out in the following table:

Number of lockers	Number of accessible lockers required
1 to 15	1
16 to 45	2
46 to 100	3
101 to 150	4
each additional set of up to 50 lockers that is in excess of 150 lockers	1 additional locker

Pools

18 A newly constructed swimming pool that is outdoors or indoors and that is intended for public use must meet all of the following requirements:

(a) it must have all of the following means of pool access:

(i) a sloped entry with a ratio of no more than 1:20,

(ii) a pool lift;

(b) it must have colour contrast along its edges and on its access points;

Outdoor public eating areas

19 (1) A new outdoor public eating area installed by a prescribed public sector body or the Government must meet all of the following requirements:

(a) for an outdoor public eating area with more than five tables, at least 20% of its tables must be accessible;

(b) for an outdoor public eating area with five or fewer tables, it must have at least 1 accessible table.

(2) The tables referred to in subsection (1) must meet all of the following requirements:

(a) they must be located next to a barrier-free path of travel;

(b) they must be located on a firm and stable ground surface that extends at least 2000 mm outwards from each of their sides;

(3) Subsections (1) and (2) apply when new tables are installed in an existing outdoor eating area.

Benches

20 A new bench installed by a prescribed public sector body or the Government in an area intended for public use that is located next to a barrier-free path of travel must meet all of the following requirements:

(a) it must be located on a firm and stable ground surface;

(b) it must be located next to a clear floor space that is at least 820 mm wide by 1390 mm long and that is not part of the barrier-free path of travel;

(d) it must be free of sharp or abrasive edges;

(e) there must be a colour contrast between the ground surface of its seating area and the surrounding area.

Campgrounds

21 (1) A new frontcountry campground must include the number of accessible campsites as set out in the following table:

Number of campsites	Number of accessible campsites required
1 to 30	1
31 to 50	2
51 to 150	3
151 to 300	4
each additional set of up to 50 campsites that is in excess of 300 campsites	1 additional campsite

(2) An accessible campsite must meet all of the following requirements:

(a) it must be located on a firm and stable ground surface;

(b) it must have a barrier-free path of travel to

(i) an accessible potable water station, and

(ii) an accessible washroom;

(c) it must have an accessible picnic table with a knee clearance that is at least 820 mm wide, 480 mm deep and 685 mm high.

(3) An accessible potable water station described in subclause (2)(b)(i) must meet all of the following requirements:

(a) it must be located next to a clear floor space that is at least 820 mm wide by 1390 mm long;

(b) it must be operable with 1 hand in a closed fist position and without requiring tight grasping, pinching with fingers or twisting of the wrist;

(d) it must be operable at a height of no more than 1200 mm above ground level.

(4) A campground is considered to be new if it is newly open to the public or if it has been closed for a period of 12 months or more before reopening.

Outdoor play spaces

22 A new outdoor play space installed by a prescribed public sector body or the Government must meet all of the following requirements:

(a) it must contain a barrier-free path of travel to

(i) any associated buildings, and

(ii) any pedestrian facilities;

(b) it must incorporate accessibility features, including sensory and active play components, for children and caregivers with various disabilities into its design;

(d) it must include sufficient clearance to allow children and caregivers to manoeuvre in and around the outdoor play space.

Outdoor classrooms

23 (1) A new or redeveloped outdoor classroom attached to a public school must meet all of the following requirements:

(a) there must be a barrier-free path of travel from the public school to it;

(b) it must be located on a firm and stable ground surface with a turning diameter of at least 2250 mm.

(2) An outdoor classroom is considered to be redeveloped if the path of travel from the school to the classroom has been replaced or 50% or more of the classroom’s seating has been replaced.

Outdoor water bottle filling stations

24 A new outdoor water bottle filling station installed by the Government or a prescribed public sector body must meet all of the following requirements:

(a) it must be located next to a barrier-free path of travel;

(b) it must be located next to a clear floor space that is at least 820 mm wide by 1390 mm long;

(i) are operable with 1 hand in a closed fist position and without requiring tight grasping, pinching with fingers or twisting of the wrist, or

(ii) activate automatically;

(d) it must have a knee clearance that is at least 820 mm wide, 480 mm deep and 685 mm high;

(e) it must be operable at a height of no more than 1200 mm above ground level.

Part II - Plan Development Requirements

Availability of plans

25 All plans that are required to be prepared for the purposes of these regulations must be made publicly available no later than April 1, 2026.

Development of plan for accessible outdoor spaces

26 (1) The Government must develop a multi-year plan that addresses the accessibility of recreational trails, parks, beach access routes and outdoor play spaces in Nova Scotia and requires that all of the following be located in each geographic region specified by the plan by 2030:

(a) 1 accessible recreational trail;

(b) 1 accessible park;

(d) 10 accessible public outdoor play spaces.

(2) The Government must seek input from persons with disabilities, municipalities and subject matter experts when developing the plan required by subsection (1).

(3) All of the following characteristics of a region must be considered when determining whether the region should be a specified geographic region:

(a) the population base;

(b) the geographic nature of the land;

(d) the distance Nova Scotians currently have to travel from their primary residence to reach all of the following or will have to travel from their primary residence to reach all of the following if they are established in the region:

(i) an accessible recreational trail,

(ii) an accessible park,

(iii) an accessible beach access route,

(iv) an accessible public outdoor play space.

(4) The plan required by subsection (1) must be made publicly available.

Snow and ice control

27 A prescribed public sector body and the Government must make their snow and ice control standards for pedestrian facilities publicly available.

Maintenance of parking areas

28 (1) An organization that owns a parking area must develop a regular maintenance plan that covers all of the following:

(a) how the accessibility features of the parking area will be maintained;

(b) the painting of accessibility symbols;

(d) the maintenance of the surface of the parking area, including pedestrian pathways;

(e) the maintenance of accessibility signage throughout the parking area.

(2) The plan required by subsection (1) must be made publicly available.

Plan for accessible entrance

29 (1) A building with 1 or more barrier-free entrances must have a plan to ensure that all of the entrances remain free of physical obstruction.

(2) For the purposes of this Section, “physical obstruction” includes impassable barriers on or above pathways that prevent people from using a barrier-free entrance.

(3) The plan required by subsection (1) must be made publicly available.

Fire emergency evacuation plan

30 (1) An owner of a residential building with 4 or more units and an occupancy of 10 or fewer people must post an emergency evacuation plan near the principal entrance of the building that meets all of the following requirements:

(a) it must contain emergency procedures to follow if there is a fire in the building that include all of the following:

(i) procedures for notifying the fire department,

(ii) procedures for instructing occupants on the procedures to follow when the fire is detected,

(iii) procedures for evacuating occupants, including special procedures for evacuating persons with disabilities requiring assistance,

(iv) procedures for confining, controlling and extinguishing the fire;

(b) it must identify the individuals responsible for carrying out the evacuation;

(c) it must identify the types of training that the individuals described in clause (b) must receive to carry out their duties under the plan.

(2) The evacuation plan required by subsection (1) must be reviewed by the building owner or operator at intervals of no more than 12 months to ensure that the plan accounts for changes in the use and other characteristics of the building.

The current consolidation of the Built Environment Accessibility Standard Regulations made under the Accessibility Act includes all of the following regulations:

The following regulations are not yet in force and are not included in the current consolidation:

*See subsection 3(6) of the Regulations Act for rules about in force dates of regulations.

Note: Only regulations that are specifically repealed and replaced appear in this table. It may not reflect the entire history of regulations on this subject matter.

N.S. Regulation	In force date*	How in force	Royal Gazette Part II Issue
48/2025	Mar 6, 2025	date specified	Mar 21, 2025

N.S. Regulation	In force date*	How in force	Royal Gazette Part II Issue

ad. = added am. = amended	fc. = fee change ra. = reassigned		rep. = repealed rs. = repealed and substituted
Provision affected		How affected
. ........................................................

N.S. Regulation	Title	In force date	Repealed date

Built Environment Accessibility Standard Regulations	N.S. Reg. 48/2025
Accessibility Act
Note: The information in these tables does not form part of the regulations and is compiled by the Office of the Registrar of Regulations for reference only.

	Note	Effective date