The new rules came into effect on Jan. 1, 2026
As part of new rules that came in on New Year’s Day, carbon monoxide alarms now have to be placed on every floor of any residence with gas-burning appliances, like a furnace, water heater or stove.
The latest update to the Ontario Fire Code, which also applies to any homes with a fireplace or an attached garage, comes as part of an effort to better protect residents against carbon monoxide poisoning, also called the “silent killer.”
Previously, carbon monoxide alarms were only required outside every sleeping area. Under the new code, those remain in place but the extra alarms are intended as an added layer of protection.
According to the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC), 88 per cent of all homes have something that poses a carbon monoxide threat. Over 50 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning in Canada each year, per the OAFC, including an average of 11 per year in Ontario.
Two-thirds of the reported deaths occur during fall and winter, while most of the deaths occur while people are sleeping.
The most common sources of carbon monoxide poisoning are vehicle emissions, smoke and fire as well as barbecues, according to a 12-year Health Canada study that ran from 2011 to 2023.
Changes to the fire code also impacted multi-residential buildings, including apartments, condos and retirement homes.
Alarms are now required inside suites that are heated by air from a fuel-burning appliance outside the unit itself. Previously, alarms were only required if the unit contains a fuel-burning device, or if the unit is located above, below or beside a garage or service room that contains a fuel-burning appliance.
If the unit has multiple floors, an alarm is required on each floor.
Public corridors also need new alarms if they’re heated by air from a fuel-burning appliance.
