Canadian Evaluation Committee
The ICC-ES Canadian Evaluation Committee consists of Building Officials from across Canada who provide independent consideration and approval of acceptance criteria, with public safety as their main concern. Acceptance Criteria are developed for new and innovative products, primarily for products that are alternatives to those directly recognized by the National Building Code of Canada (i.e., by the alternative solution compliance pathway). The ICC-ES Canadian Evaluation Committee meets three times a year to consider new acceptance criteria and revisions to existing criteria. Attendees at committee meetings have the opportunity to speak on acceptance criteria and provide information to committee members. All meetings are open to the public.
Stephanie Di Perna, MBA, PMP (Chair)
City of Markham, Ontario Director, Building Standards and Chief Building Official
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Stephanie is a municipal executive with over two decades of experience in building code enforcement, development approvals, and construction project management. Currently serving as Director and Chief Building Official at the City of Markham, she leads regulatory operations that uphold safety, legislative compliance, and community standards. Stephanie is a certified Project Management Professional, holds an Executive MBA, and is Building Code Qualified. She is also a contributor to provincial code committees and a former post-secondary educator, committed to innovation, public safety, and service excellence in the built environment.
Abbas Akhavan, M.Sc., P.Eng., CBCO
City of Richmond Hill, Ontario Building Engineer
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Abbas is a licensed Professional Engineer and Certified Building Code Official with over 25 years of experience in structural engineering, fire protection, and code enforcement. He is currently a Building Engineer in the Building Division of the City of Richmond Hill. He has worked with multiple municipalities and provincial agencies, including Toronto, Markham, MMAH, and OFMEM. Abbas is highly skilled in interpreting the Ontario Building Code, Fire Code, and national model codes. He has extensive experience in alternative solutions, plan reviews, and complex code compliance matters. Qualified in all 12 BCIN categories, he also brings strong leadership in stakeholder engagement and regulatory interpretation. He is also an active member of several technical and code interpretation committees, including OMCIAC and BCAS.
Cameron Bardas, P.Eng.
City of Edmonton, Alberta Senior Engineer Strategist. Development Services, Safety Codes, Permits and Inspections
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Cameron is a licensed professional engineer in the province of Alberta, specializing in the Fire Safety Engineering discipline. His career has included forensic analysis of fires and explosions, and administration of the safety codes within the City of Edmonton, where he has been active for the past 18 years as the Senior Fire Protection Engineer at Edmonton Fire Rescue Services, and most recently the Senior Engineer Strategist with Safety Codes, Permits, and Inspections. Cameron's key focus is on the opportunities for innovation and efficiency in the safety codes system through leveraging the role of professionals, and the alternative solution process.
Jay Klassen, RBO
Resort Municipality of Whistler, British Columbia Building Inspector
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Jay Klassen has been working as a Senior Building Official for the Resort Municipality of Whistler for the past 9 years. Reviewing and overseeing commercial and multi-unit residential building plan reviews. Jay previously worked as a special project manager in the product compliance industry for QAI Laboratories Ltd. for 10 years. Testing, evaluating, and certifying building products for both the Canadian and US markets.
