Educational Facility Renovation in Scarborough

CCEYA requires 3.7 m² (39.8 sf) per child indoor program space, plus 5.6 m² (60 sf) per child outdoor play space. A 60-child centre needs ~225 m² (2,400 sf) of program space minimum, plus circulation, washrooms, staff areas, kitchen, and adult spaces — typical total footprint 3,500-5,000 sf for a 60-child centre.

Yes, subject to occupancy reclassification (Group D office to Group A-2 assembly), egress capacity verification, addition of child-rated washrooms, and creation of outdoor play space (often the biggest blocker — many office buildings have no usable outdoor space). Budget 4-6 months for permit + CCEYA licensing review.

Yes — Group A-2 occupancy with assembly use almost always triggers full sprinkler under OBC 3.2.4 and NFPA 13. If the existing building isn't sprinklered, the upgrade cost is significant — $8-$15/sf for a retrofit including new water service. Some heritage buildings have grandfather provisions but they don't survive major renovation.

For a daycare 60-child outdoor play space ~350 m²: poured-in-place EPDM rubber surfacing $180-$240/m² ($60-$85K), play structure age-appropriate $40-$120K, fencing CSA-compliant $15-$30K, landscape grading and drainage $20-$40K. Total typical $130-$280K depending on equipment tier.

Initial application: 8-12 weeks for plan review. Site inspection after construction: 2-4 weeks. License issuance: 1-2 weeks after final inspection. Total from permit to operating license: 14-20 weeks. Building permit and CCEYA licensing run mostly in parallel — start both at the same time.