Data Sources
Where the corpus comes from, how it is processed, and what it covers
CodeChronicle is a historical research tool: it reconstructs what building code provisions said on a given date, with every reconstruction traceable to the regulation that made it so. This page describes the sources behind that corpus (Ontario Building Code, 2006-12-31 – 2024-12-31) and the limits of what it covers.
Where the data comes from
All substantive content comes from the regulations themselves: the base regulation that enacts each code edition and every amending regulation (O. Reg.) filed against it. Supporting sources are used for verification and presentation, never as a substitute for the regulations:
- Base and amending regulations as published on Ontario’s e-Laws, the Province of Ontario’s official online source of law — the substantive record
- e-Laws consolidation snapshots — used to verify our reconstructions and for formatting, only; they are not the source of substantive content
Legislative text is reproduced from these sources, © King’s Printer for Ontario. CodeChronicle is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Province of Ontario, and what we present is not an official copy of the law — official consolidated law is published on e-Laws.
How it is processed
The corpus is a reconstruction from the legislative record, not a copy of a consolidation:
- The base regulation is parsed into individual provisions (parts, sections, subsections, articles)
- Each amending regulation is parsed into its directives — what it revokes, substitutes, or adds, and when each change takes effect
- Applying those directives in filing order yields every provision’s version history: what it said, over which dates, and the exact regulation and clause behind each change — the amendment chains shown throughout the site
- The reconstruction is then checked against e-Laws consolidation snapshots; discrepancies, gaps, and editorial notes in the sources are preserved as provenance notes and disclosed on the affected provision, never silently patched
Coverage
| Edition | In force from | Until | Amending regs |
|---|---|---|---|
| OBC 2006 | Dec 31, 2006 | Jan 1, 2014 | 8 |
| OBC 2012 | Jan 1, 2014 | Jan 1, 2025 | 28 |
An edition is published here only once every regulation that amended it has been parsed and applied, and the resulting reconstruction verified against the consolidation record. This table is generated from the same database the search runs against, so it always reflects what is actually loaded.
Limitations
- Ontario only, for now — other jurisdictions’ codes are not yet covered
- Coverage begins with the earliest edition in the table above; earlier code history exists but is not yet loaded
- Reconstruction quality depends on the source record; known imperfections are disclosed as provenance notes on the affected provisions
- For any decision that matters, verify against the official consolidation on e-Laws — see our Terms of Service
Questions and corrections
If you spot an error in the data or have a question about sourcing, contact us at [email protected].