Attention Building Owners & Operators,
New Safety Requirements Starting January 1, 2026

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odourless, and deadly gas. To protect residents, new rules are coming into effect on January 1, 2026, that expand where CO alarms must be placed in buildings with multiple residential units.

Where Do the New Requirements Apply?

The updated requirements apply to all existing buildings that contain multiple residential units or suites. This includes but is not limited to:

• Apartment Buildings
• Condominium Buildings
• Houses with Two or More Units (e.g.,Duplexes)
• Retirement Homes
• Hotels, Motels, etc

Installation is required in several areas in the building:

Inside Individual Suites (Residential Units)

A CO alarm must be installed in a suite if any of the following conditions apply:

• The suite itself contains a fuel-burning appliance (like a furnace or water heater) or a fireplace.
• The suite is located directly above, below, or beside a service room that has a fuelburning appliance.
• The suite is located directly above, below, or beside a garage.
• Effective Jan 1, 2026: The suite is heated by air coming from a fuel-burning appliance that is not contained within the suite (e.g., heat from a furnace in a central service room).

For specific questions regarding CO alarm requirements, please contact your local fire department.

Buying and Installing CO Alarms

Buying

• CO alarms should have the logo of a recognized standards testing agency to ensure they meet Canadian performance standards. Some examples of recognized standards testing agencies and their logos include:
• Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
• Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC)
• Intertek (ETL)
• Under the Fire Code, carbon monoxide alarms are permitted to be:
• Hardwired (connected directly to an electrical system).
• Battery-operated (portable or permanently mounted).
• Plug-in devices (plugs into a standard electrical outlet).
• Many devices on the market are combined units that include both a smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm in one device.

Installing

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installation and placement of CO alarms.
• Owners are responsible for complying with the CO alarm requirements in the Fire Code.
• In Rental Homes, the Landlord is responsible for complying with the CO alarm requirements in the Fire Code.

Placement within the suite:

• Adjacent to each sleeping area (e.g.: near all bedrooms).
• Effective Jan 1, 2026: On every storey (floor) of the suite, including storeys that do not have a sleeping area.
• A CO alarm must be installed in each service room or area of the building that contains a fuel-burning appliance.
• Effective Jan 1, 2026: CO alarms must be installed in public corridors serving the residential suites, if those corridors are heated by air from a fuel-burning appliance. For specific questions regarding CO alarm requirements, please contact your local fire department.

Need Clarification?

For specific questions regarding the CO alarm requirements that may apply to your care occupancy, operators and administrators are advised to contact their local fire department. The local fire department is the authority responsible for enforcing the Fire Code in your area.

• Installation requirements are outlined in Section 2.16 of Division B of the Fire Code (O. Reg. 213/07).
• Maintenance requirements are outlined in Subsection 6.3.4. of Division B of the Fire Code (O. Reg. 213/07).