Ontario Introduces New Carbon Monoxide Alarm Requirements

The City of Owen Sound wishes to inform residents of a significant update to the Ontario Fire Code that is expected to affect many community members. The Ontario government has announced updates to the Ontario Fire Code that will strengthen carbon monoxide (CO) safety in homes and other residential buildings, effective January 1, 2026. These changes expand where CO alarms must be installed to better protect residents from carbon monoxide, an invisible, odourless, and potentially deadly gas.

Carbon monoxide alarms have long been required in certain homes and buildings, but the 2026 update extends these requirements to additional locations, including suites, service rooms, and corridors in many types of residential structures.

Who Is Affected?

The updated Fire Code requirements apply to:

·         Single-family homes

·         Multi-unit residential buildings such as apartments, condos, duplexes, and triplexes

·         Care occupancy buildings such as convalescent homes, residential care facilities, and group homes

·         Hotels, motels, boarding houses, and rooming houses

Building owners and landlords are legally responsible for ensuring compliance.

Key Changes as of January 1, 2026

1.   CO Alarms Required in More Residential Units

CO alarms must now be installed in any residential suite that meets one or more of the following conditions:

·         The unit contains a fuel-burning appliance such as a furnace, water heater, or fireplace.

·         The unit is above, below, or beside a service room with a fuel-burning appliance.

·         The unit is above, below, or beside a garage.

·         Effective 2026, the unit is heated by air from a fuel-burning appliance located outside the suite.

2. Placement inside suites

·         Adjacent to every sleeping area.

·         Effective 2026, on every storey of the unit, even if a storey has no bedrooms.

3. Service Rooms and Common Areas of the Building

·         An alarm must be installed in each service room or area of a building that contains a fuel-burning appliance.

For more information, please contact Matt Given, Fire Prevention Officer at 519-376-4440 ext. 2233 or email mgiven@owensound.ca

Quotes:

“This Fire Code update is a significant step forward in protecting residents from carbon monoxide, a danger you can’t see or smell but that can be deadly. By expanding where CO alarms are required in homes and residential buildings, these changes will help ensure earlier warnings, safer living spaces, and greater peace of mind for residents and their families.”

-      Phil Eagleson, Fire Chief

Quick Facts:

• For more information, visit the Province of Ontario’s Office of the Fire Marshal
•  Government of Canada advisory regarding carbon monoxide alarms

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