Saskatchewan's building code backtrack will burden homeowners with higher costs

February 19, 2025 — Saskatchewan is backtracking on its commitment to make new buildings more energy efficient, a move Efficiency Canada says will disrupt the construction sector and lead to higher long-term costs for homeowners. 

Canada’s model national codes include energy efficiency performance tiers — from 1 to 5 for low-rise residential buildings. In 2024, Saskatchewan adopted tier 2 as the required standard, with plans to graduate to tier 3 in 2026. However, the government now intends to revert to the lowest standard — tier 1.

Efficiency Canada’s Senior Director of Policy, Brendan Haley, says adopting a less energy-efficient standard will raise energy costs for homeowners.

“Backtracking on building codes gives license to low-quality construction companies to burden homeowners with higher operational costs and maintenance issues in the future,” Haley says. “Inefficient buildings are less durable, more prone to air leakage, and more susceptible to issues like mould and reduced fire resilience.” 

Saskatchewan’s minimum code has been set at tier 2 for over a year. Reverting to a lower standard will create unnecessary administrative burdens and uncertainty.

 “Builders in Saskatchewan have a history of building energy-efficient, airtight homes because it makes sense in a cold climate. This rollback undermines that approach and exposes homeowners to higher costs and long-term risks,” Haley says. 

Efficiency Canada is calling on the Saskatchewan government to reconsider this decision and maintain higher building standards that will ensure long-term savings, reduce energy costs, and promote safer, more durable homes for residents.

Background Information:

Harmonization

• Canada’s National Model Codes include performance tiers so provinces can improve energy efficiency in a harmonized fashion.

Disruption raises costs

• Saskatchewan’s minimum code has been at tier 2 for over a year. Going back creates administrative burdens and uncertainty. Uncertainty and disruption raise construction costs.

Saskatchewan might lose federal funding

• A federal Codes Acceleration Fund funds provinces moving towards higher performance tiers. Publicly available information suggests¹ Saskatchewan applied for funding in 2023 to support activities like a smartphone application and micro-credentials to make housing construction faster and easier.
• Saskatchewan will lose these funds if it is not moving to upper tiers.

Energy-efficient buildings are cost-competitive

• Building to tier 3 instead of tier 1 can cut annual energy use and bills in half (~$1560 annual savings in Saskatchewan).
• Building higher cost does not need to cost more because better efficiency is achieved through design choices and quality construction practices.²
• Construction costs are driven by uncertainty and volatility.

Contact: media@efficiencycanada.org

^[1] See Saskatchewan Building Officials Association Fall 2023 Newsletter and City of Saskatoon Admin Report.

^[2] A survey of actual building performance in BC found no correlation between construction cost and energy performance.