A Changing Skyline in Cornwall

Not long ago, much of the City of Cornwall's Building Services workload consisted of houses, small commercial buildings, and the steady stream of decks, sheds, and renovations that are familiar to most municipalities. These projects remain an important part of the department's work, but the City's development landscape has changed. Today, the building department is seeing larger, more technically demanding projects that would have been uncommon only a few years ago.

Surrounded by predominantly rural communities, Cornwall occupies a unique position in Eastern Ontario. It serves as a regional centre where healthcare, education, recreation, industry, and higher-density housing all have their place. Its strategic location between Toronto, Ottawa, and Montréal has also made it an established hub for industrial and distribution facilities for many years, a sector that continues to grow. At a time when residential construction has slowed in many areas, Cornwall continues to attract investment across multiple sectors, creating a diverse range of projects for the building department to review.

A 12-storey residential building overlooking the St. Lawrence River, a specialized tire storage facility incorporating alternative solutions for fire protection, and a new high school are just a few examples of projects that have recently moved through the building department. For Chief Building Official Chris Roelofs, these are exactly the types of projects he was hoping to work on.

"This is why I came to Cornwall."

One point that stands out is how quickly this transition has occurred. Cornwall had been seeing steady mid-rise development, but moving into high-rise construction represents a significant change for everyone involved. These projects introduce different construction methods and structural systems, more life safety considerations, and a increased level of technical review than the local design and construction community had encountered previously.

That learning curve extends well beyond the building department. Many of these projects are among the first of their kind for local architects, engineers, and contractors. As Chris described it, everyone has been learning together while continuing to deliver successful projects for the community.

Like many municipalities, Cornwall's building department operates with a focused team of six Building Officials specializing in Part 3, Part 9, and housing. While continuing to review the steady flow of renovations, decks, sheds, secondary suites, and commercial projects, the department has also adapted to an increasing number of larger developments requiring more extensive code analysis.

For some of these projects, Cornwall has chosen to supplement its internal review process by engaging RSM Building Consultants for select reviews. The municipality continues to lead the permitting process, actively engage with applicants, and carry out inspections, but the external technical review provides support while allowing municipal staff to remain fully engaged throughout the process.

Chris explained that the benefits continue well after the plans review has been completed. Detailed review comments and markups become valuable tools during construction, helping builders and inspectors understand the reviewed design and verify compliance in the field. When deficiencies are identified during inspections, they are often the result of construction differing from the reviewed drawings rather than questions that were missed during the review.

I began my career as a building official in Cornwall, during which time Chris was my Deputy. Looking back, it would have been extremely helpful, as a new building official, to have had the opportunity to learn alongside detailed reviews of projects like these. A thorough plans review becomes a resource that newer Building Officials can follow step by step as they build experience reviewing building types that may only arrive occasionally in their own municipality.

For Chris, confidence in the review process is fundamental.

"RSM performs thorough reviews, the same quality that we would do."

Knowing plans have been thoroughly reviewed gives Chief Building Officials and inspectors confidence as projects move into construction and inspection.

Looking ahead, Cornwall expects continued investment in multi-residential development, hotels, and other larger projects already in various stages of planning. At the same time, the building department continues to strengthen its connection with the community through public outreach and education, helping residents better understand the department's role in creating a safe built environment.

Watching Cornwall evolve over the years has reinforced that growth is about more than new buildings. It is also about the people responsible for designing, reviewing, building, and inspecting them. As new building types arrive, everyone involved in the process gains experience together. Cornwall's building department has embraced that evolution, and in doing so, is helping ensure the community is well prepared for the opportunities that lie ahead.