Does Only the Building Code Dictate Sprinklers?

I live in a province in Canada with its own building code version and recently had a project for a very small, single-story building - an industrial class with an incinerator.

We were originally told that the building needed to be sprinklered so we designed a system for it. Since the system will cost a lot of money, the owners have hired a code consultant that concluded that the building does not need to be sprinklered as there is no requirement to sprinkler a single-story very small industrial building by the building code.

They make the argument that standards like NFPA 82 & NFPA 20 (for fire pumps) pertain to the equipment but not the building as those aspects are covered by the building code. They also mention this usage has been called into question and accepted in other Canadian provinces with similar code structures.

Noting that this argument is not specific to the incinerator or NFPA 82 but any equipment or room covered by an NFPA standard, I'm wondering if anyone has heard a similar argument or has other experience in another jurisdiction.

Does the usage here drive a requirement for fire sprinkler protection?

Is this the correct approach here?

Thanks in advance.

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