🇨🇦 Canada Compliance · SPC & LVT Flooring · CAN/ULC-S102.2 · NBC
CAN/ULC-S102.2 Fire Compliance for Flooring in Canada
Canada does not use the US Class A/B/C system or the European Bfl-s1 — it has its own surface-burning standard, CAN/ULC-S102.2, referenced by the National Building Code. For importers and specifiers, the trap is assuming a US fire rating carries over. It often does not. Here is how the standard works, what flame-spread limits actually apply to flooring, and what evidence a Canadian project really needs.
Short answer
CAN/ULC-S102.2 is Canada’s Steiner-tunnel test for floor coverings, producing a Flame Spread Rating (FSR) and Smoke Developed Classification (SDC). The National Building Code uses numeric limits, not Class A/B/C — and flooring is controlled more leniently than walls and ceilings. The key trap: a US UL / ASTM E84 rating is not automatically accepted in Canada; the Canadian route is a ULC (cUL) result, confirmed with the authority having jurisdiction.
Reviewed June 2026 · CAN/ULC-S102.2 · National Building Code of Canada · General guidance, not fire-engineering or code advice.
The Canadian standard
What CAN/ULC-S102.2 measures
CAN/ULC-S102.2 is the Canadian standard test for the surface burning characteristics of flooring. It uses the Steiner Tunnel — a 7.3 m furnace chamber — but adapts it for floors: the sample lies horizontally with its exposed face upward, under a 90 kW flame for ten minutes, while observers track flame travel and a photometer measures smoke. (Walls and ceilings use the companion standard, CAN/ULC-S102.) The test is run in triplicate, and the values are averaged and rounded to the nearest five to give two numbers:
FSR
Flame Spread Rating
How far and fast flame travels across the surface, indexed against references — select red oak is set at 100 and non-combustible cement board at 0. Lower is better.
SDC
Smoke Developed Classification
How much smoke the surface produces during the test, on the same indexed basis. Since smoke drives most fire injuries, the Code limits it alongside flame spread.
Both numbers come from the same test and both appear on the report. A Canadian authority reads them together against the limit for the building’s occupancy and the specific location of the floor.
The first thing US importers get wrong
Canada uses numbers, not Class A/B/C
If you have specified flooring for the US market, you will be used to “Class A” (or Class 1) interior finishes from ASTM E84. Canada does not use that terminology. The National Building Code (NBC 3.1.12.1) requires the flame-spread rating and smoke developed classification to be determined under CAN/ULC-S102 / S102.2, and it expresses requirements as numeric limits — for example a maximum FSR of 150, or 25 in higher-risk areas — not as a letter grade.
So “our flooring is Class A” is not a Canadian compliance statement. The Canadian question is always: what is the FSR and SDC, tested to CAN/ULC-S102.2, and does it meet the NBC limit for this location? Translating a US letter grade into a Canadian numeric limit is the assessor’s job, and the two systems do not map one-to-one because the calculation methods differ.
The limits that apply to flooring
Flame-spread limits by location — and why flooring is easier
Here is the honest, useful part. The NBC’s flame-spread controls are strictest for wall and ceiling finishes, which drive early fire spread. Flooring is treated more leniently — traditional floor coverings can be used in almost any location. These are the general reference points (always confirmed against the specific NBC article, occupancy and the AHJ):
| Location / surface | Typical FSR limit | Notes |
|---|
| Interior wall & ceiling finish (general) | ≤ 150 | The general NBC ceiling for most occupied areas — a wall/ceiling figure, not a flooring one. |
| Exits, public corridors, high-risk areas (walls/ceilings) | ≤ 25 | Exit stairwells, corridors not within suites, elevator cars, service spaces — the tightest control. |
| Floor coverings (general) | Lenient | Floors carry a lower fire risk than walls/ceilings; traditional flooring is usable almost everywhere, with stricter attention only in specific exit/high-risk locations by occupancy. |
Reference points only. The exact FSR/SDC limit for a given floor depends on the building’s occupancy classification, the location within the building, and the applicable code edition; the authority having jurisdiction makes the determination. This mirrors the position in other markets, where floor finishes are controlled less tightly than wall and ceiling linings.
The trap that fails Canadian projects
ULC is not UL — why a US rating may not be accepted
This is the single most expensive misunderstanding for importers bringing flooring from the US supply chain into Canada. A UL listing or ASTM E84 result from the United States is not automatically accepted by a Canadian authority. Canada’s recognised mark is ULC (Underwriters Laboratories of Canada) — often shown as cUL — and where the Code requires a rating to a Canadian standard, a US-only rating may be rejected at plan review.
The reason is technical, not bureaucratic: although CAN/ULC-S102 and ASTM E84 use the same tunnel apparatus, the calculation rules and procedures differ, and CAN/ULC-S102 can produce more conservative values. So a Canadian assessor needs the result generated to the Canadian standard. For flooring specifically, that means a CAN/ULC-S102.2 report — not an E84 sheet repurposed from a US datasheet.
Verify before you import: if a supplier offers a fire rating, ask whether it is CAN/ULC-S102.2 (Canadian) or ASTM E84 (US). For a Canadian project, only the Canadian result reliably satisfies the authority having jurisdiction — and the AHJ has the final say.
How compliance is evidenced
Where CCMC fits in
Beyond the test report itself, Canadian authorities frequently look for a CCMC (Canadian Construction Materials Centre) assessment — the code-compliance evaluation run by the National Research Council, which most authorities accept as evidence of compliance. A CCMC assessment is recorded in a public registry, so unlike a marketing claim, it can be verified by anyone. We cover CCMC and the ULC-versus-UL question in detail in our CCMC & ULC certification guide.
What this means for an importer: the deliverable a Canadian project wants is a CAN/ULC-S102.2 FSR/SDC result for the specific product — and, where the project requires it, a CCMC assessment. A claim alone is not enough; the evidence has to be to the Canadian standard and, ideally, on a public registry.
How a factory-direct supplier supports Canadian compliance
Here is where most overseas suppliers fall short, and where it pays to be straight about what a factory can and cannot do. Ecoflors does not hold a CAN/ULC-S102.2 report, a ULC listing or a CCMC assessment as a stock claim — and any supplier that says it “already meets the Canadian fire code” without a Canadian test report for the exact product should be questioned. What a serious manufacturer can do is support your compliance route:
1
Provide samples for CAN/ULC-S102.2 testing
We supply specimens in the required size for your nominated Canadian testing laboratory, so the FSR/SDC is generated to the Canadian standard for your specific product and decor.
2
Supply full TDS and MSDS
Complete technical data and material safety sheets — including the polymer and plasticiser details that affect both fire behaviour and customs classification — to support the lab and your customs broker.
3
Cooperate with a CCMC or project evaluation
Where your project or your consultant pursues a CCMC assessment or an AHJ submission, we provide the manufacturing documentation, quality records and consistent production the evaluation requires.
4
Maintain batch consistency
Once a product is tested, consistent production matters — a fire result applies to the tested formulation, so we hold the specification stable across re-orders.
The honest position: the most reliable path is to test the specific product you intend to import, to the Canadian standard, for the Canadian project. We make that straightforward by supplying samples and documentation and by keeping the formulation consistent — rather than handing you a US datasheet and calling it Canadian compliance.
Canadian buyer FAQ
CAN/ULC-S102.2 & flooring — questions importers ask
What is CAN/ULC-S102.2 for flooring?
It is the Canadian Steiner-tunnel test for the surface burning characteristics of floor coverings, producing a Flame Spread Rating (FSR) and a Smoke Developed Classification (SDC). The sample is tested horizontally, face up, under a 90 kW flame, in triplicate, and the values are averaged and rounded to the nearest five. The National Building Code (NBC 3.1.12.1) references it for flooring, while walls and ceilings use the companion standard CAN/ULC-S102.
Does a US Class A or ASTM E84 rating work in Canada?
Not reliably. Canada does not use the Class A/B/C system, and a US UL or ASTM E84 result is not automatically accepted by a Canadian authority. The National Building Code expresses limits as numeric flame-spread ratings and requires testing to CAN/ULC-S102 / S102.2. Although the tunnel apparatus is the same, the calculation methods differ, so a Canadian project generally needs a CAN/ULC-S102.2 result, with the authority having jurisdiction making the final determination.
What flame-spread rating does flooring need in Canada?
It depends on the building’s occupancy and the location of the floor. The NBC sets a general maximum flame-spread rating of 150 for interior wall and ceiling finishes and as low as 25 for high-risk areas such as exits and public corridors, but flooring is controlled more leniently — traditional floor coverings can be used in almost any location. The exact limit for a given floor should be confirmed against the applicable NBC article and the authority having jurisdiction.
What is the difference between ULC and UL?
ULC (Underwriters Laboratories of Canada), often shown as cUL, is the Canadian certification body; UL is the US one. They are affiliated, but a US UL or ASTM rating is not necessarily accepted in Canada, because Canadian codes reference Canadian standards (CAN/ULC). For a fire result to satisfy a Canadian authority, it generally needs to be generated to the ULC standard — for flooring, CAN/ULC-S102.2.
Does Ecoflors flooring have a CAN/ULC-S102.2 rating?
We do not present a CAN/ULC-S102.2 report, ULC listing or CCMC assessment as a stock claim — and we would caution against any supplier that claims to “already meet the Canadian fire code” without a Canadian test report for the exact product. What we do is support your compliance route: supplying samples for CAN/ULC-S102.2 testing at your nominated Canadian lab, providing full TDS and MSDS, cooperating with a CCMC or project evaluation, and keeping the formulation consistent across orders.
How do I get Canadian fire compliance for imported flooring?
Test the specific product you intend to import to CAN/ULC-S102.2 at a Canadian-recognised laboratory, obtain the FSR and SDC, and confirm they meet the NBC limit for your occupancy and location with the authority having jurisdiction. Where the project requires it, pursue a CCMC assessment for code-compliance evidence. A factory-direct supplier supports this by providing samples, technical documentation and consistent production — see our
CCMC & ULC guide.
Factory-direct · Canadian-standard testing support · Canada shipments
Get the documentation your Canadian project needs.
Tell us the product and your project. We provide samples for CAN/ULC-S102.2 testing at your nominated Canadian laboratory, full TDS and MSDS for classification and your fire consultant, and the manufacturing documentation a CCMC or AHJ submission requires — with consistent production across re-orders.
CAN/ULC-S102.2 testing support · TDS / MSDS provided · HS 3918.10 · FOB Ningbo / Shanghai
MOQ 800 sqm / SKU · lead time 15–25 days from PO · factory-direct from Changzhou, China since 2017
Disclaimer: General information for flooring importers, distributors and their project teams, not fire-engineering or code-compliance advice. Flame-spread and smoke-developed limits depend on the building’s occupancy, the location of the material and the applicable code edition (National Building Code of Canada and provincial codes such as the Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec building codes); the authority having jurisdiction makes the determination. Fire performance applies to the specific tested product and formulation; results must be generated to the Canadian standard (CAN/ULC-S102.2) and confirmed against the actual test report. Ecoflors does not represent that its products hold a CAN/ULC-S102.2 rating, ULC listing or CCMC assessment unless such documentation is provided for a specific product. Reviewed June 2026.
