I can't load the article for some reason but in the actual news report they explained that here it's based solely on how much money is invested in the building. Cross a certain threshold, and the building is considered new construction and therefore the modern building code applies.
That sounds so nonsensical to me that I wouldn't be surprised if its wrong.
However, I do know that the Province last year announced some program meant to help alleviate the problem of vacant third floors pretty much throughout the entirety of downtown St. John's. If they're converted into ANYTHING other than their original use (so, say it was storage, and you want to put offices; or it was an office space, and you want to put apartments), then the entire building must meet modern building code requirements - including prohibitively expensive emergency and accessibility requirements.
And there was at least one case where parking requirements even came up. So this owner wanted to take a building with an unused third floor and put in, I don't remember what, say apartments. Not only would they have to install emergency exits, but it was suggested they'd need wheelchair access and off-street parking as well.
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Note to self: "The plural of anecdote is not evidence."
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