Updated October 10, 2026
If you are adding a basement bedroom in Regina, check the escape window before settling on the room layout. A window that brings in daylight may still be too small, difficult to open or blocked by the window well when someone needs to get out.
This guide explains the main checks in the City of Regina’s current basement-development and secondary-suite guidance. The requirements for your house should be confirmed through the permit process before a foundation opening is changed.
When does a basement bedroom need an egress window?
The City’s guidance requires each bedroom without its own exterior door to have a suitable emergency-egress window. A separate entrance elsewhere in the basement does not replace that bedroom requirement. The building code has specific exceptions, including provisions for sprinklered suites, so have the proposed design checked rather than assuming an exception applies.
A basement used as a family room and a basement containing bedrooms or a separate rental suite can involve different requirements. Decide how each room will be used at the planning stage. For a rental conversion, also read our Regina legal basement suite guide.
Measure the clear opening, not the window frame
Regina’s current guidance calls for an unobstructed opening of at least 0.35 m², with neither dimension less than 380 mm. Both tests matter. These measurements describe the space available for escape when the window is fully open, rather than the outside frame or glass size.
The window must open from inside without keys, tools or special knowledge and stay open without extra support. A stick holding a sash up does not satisfy that requirement. Ask the supplier for the clear-opening dimensions for the actual model and opening style you intend to install.
The window well needs room for a person to escape
Where the window opens into a well, Regina’s guidance requires at least 760 mm of clear space. Check the usable space with the sash open: an outward-opening window must not obstruct escape. The City’s package also addresses well drainage, so the well’s depth, drainage and relationship to the foundation need to be planned together.
Do not assume a well is suitable because its advertised size appears large enough. Measure the proposed arrangement, including the window swing, and check any cover or protective enclosure against the applicable escape requirements.
What if the existing window is too small?
There may be more than one workable option. A different opening style might provide more clear space within an existing opening, or the project may need a larger opening, a new well and related exterior work. The right answer depends on the foundation, grading, nearby services and the proposed bedroom layout.
Enlarging a foundation opening can involve structural and water-management details. Have these assessed before cutting concrete or ordering a window. Inside the house, consider how the window can be reached and keep furniture, storage and finishes from obstructing access.
Plan permits and the rest of the basement together
Check the City of Regina’s building-permit guidance and obtain the required permits before construction starts. A submitted application does not authorize work to begin.
An egress window is one part of a basement renovation. Moisture problems, finished ceiling height, ventilation, plumbing, electrical work and any secondary-suite requirements can also affect the plan. It is usually more useful to assess the whole proposed space than to price a window in isolation.
What to have ready for an assessment
- The intended use of the room and whether the basement will contain a separate suite.
- Photos of the window from inside and outside, including the well and surrounding grade.
- The existing opening dimensions and the clear opening with the window fully open.
- Any known moisture problems, previous alterations or permit records.
- A simple layout showing walls, doors, furniture and access to the window.
Oakridge can help you plan the window work as part of a Regina basement renovation. Request a project consultation to discuss the existing space and the changes you are considering.
Official guidance
Check the latest City basement-development information and secondary-suite information before applying. The City-linked April 2025 secondary-suite package, pages 3 and 13–14, covers bedroom windows and wells. National Building Code 2020, Division B, Article 9.9.10.1 provides the underlying bedroom-egress provisions; Saskatchewan amendments and the requirements applicable to the project must also be considered.