Ontario’s Jan-1st 2026 Fire Code: New CO Alarm Rules
Following a major update to the Ontario Fire Code, it will be mandatory as of Jan. 1 to have a working carbon monoxide (CO) alarm on every floor of your home.
Previously, provincial law only required these alarms near sleeping areas. However, the new rules mandate protection on every level of your home — including basements and main floors without bedrooms.
This mandate applies to all homes — including detached houses, townhomes and apartments — with gas, oil, or wood-burning furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters, ovens and dryers. They also apply to houses with attached garages.
Carbon monoxide is produced when fuels — like gas, oil or wood — don’t burn completely in everyday items like your furnace, fireplace, water heater, barbecues and generators, and when vehicles are left running in attached garages. Since carbon monoxide cannot be seen, smelled or tasted, it often goes unnoticed until it is too late. According to provincial statistics, more than 65 per cent of all provincial carbon monoxide injuries and deaths occur in the home.
Breathing the gas reduces your body’s ability to carry oxygen in your blood and can affect you before you notice its presence. Since you cannot see, smell or taste CO, it is vital to recognize the physical symptoms of exposure:
Headache
Nausea
Dizziness
Confusion
Drowsiness
Loss of consciousness
Death
According to the fire code, CO alarms can be hard-wired — meaning connected directly to your home’s electrical system — battery-operated or plug-in devices. You can choose any of these power sources but need to install the alarms exactly as the manufacturer instructions describe.
Some devices on the market are combined units that include both a smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector in one device. Since your carbon monoxide alarm sounds different from your smoke detector, make sure everyone in your home knows the difference.
When purchasing carbon monoxide alarms or combined units, make sure they meet Canadian performance standards by checking if they have the logo of a recognized standards testing agency, such as the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC) and Intertek Electrical Testing Laboratories (ETL).
Under the Ontario Fire Code, carbon monoxide safety is a shared legal responsibility.
Homeowners must ensure their property is compliant. Landlords are responsible for installing and maintaining alarms in rental units. This includes annual testing and re-testing during tenancy changes or electrical work. Tenants must report any malfunctioning alarms to the landlord immediately.
It is illegal for anyone to tamper with an alarm or remove its batteries.
To keep alarms operational, perform a monthly test using the “test” button and replace batteries at least once a year. Replace the entire unit according to the manufacturer’s instructions, usually every five to 10 years. If the device chirps, consult the manual to determine if it is a low-battery warning, an “end-of-life” signal, or an emergency.
For more information, connect with your local fire department.
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