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What earthquake values does the building code use here?

Natural Resources Canada publishes the seismic hazard values behind the 2020 National Building Code for every point in Canada: how hard the ground is expected to shake, with a 2% chance in 50 years. The check reads the values at the address.

Report check: Earthquake design value. Entry reviewed 20 Oct 2026; each source below shows its own data date.

Land, soil and environment

How a report shows itsample, made-up home

Earthquake design valueFacts

The building code's reference shaking here is a peak ground acceleration of 0.12 g, with a 2% chance in 50 years (sample figure).

Where we read it

  • Every Ontario address
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Full reportevery report
Dealbreakernot a pick

Published byNatural Resources Canada

What the record is

The values are what engineers use to design new buildings for the site. They vary across Ontario: higher in the Ottawa valley and along the St. Lawrence, lower across most of the south-west. The published grid assumes average ground (site class C); soft ground shakes more.

The report line gives the spectral accelerations and peak ground acceleration at the address, as published. It is a design figure for the place, not a statement about any building on it.

Where it runs

This check runs at every Ontario address, from provincial and federal records:

Sources

Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.

Check one address

This check is in the full report, with the other 54 checks, for any Ontario home.

Order the full report See the sample report

Public-record information, not legal, financial, insurance or inspection advice. Records change and can be incomplete, and this page describes the records, not any particular home. Spotted an error, or have a question about this record? Email [email protected]; we answer from the record, and corrections are listed on the guide index. What we cover, city by city.