January 1, 2026 marks an important change in Ontario’s approach to carbon monoxide (CO) safety. The province has updated its Ontario Fire Code to expand where carbon monoxide alarms are required, and these changes are now in force across the province. As your trusted local home comfort experts, we at Waza Home Comfort want to make sure you understand what’s changed and why it matters for your home’s safety.

Carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer – it’s a colourless, odourless, and tasteless gas that can be lethal without warning. CO can be produced anytime fuel-burning appliances don’t burn efficiently, including furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces, generators, and even vehicles running in an attached garage. Because you cannot detect CO without an alarm, the updated law focuses on ensuring alarms are placed where they’ll alert occupants early and effectively

What’s New in Ontario’s Fire Code

The key update that took effect January 1, 2026, is the requirement for carbon monoxide alarms in more locations throughout the home and buildings:

1. CO alarms must be installed on every storey of the residence, including basements, main floors, and upper levels, not just near sleeping areas.

2. CO alarms are still required adjacent to each sleeping area (for example, in hallways near bedrooms).

3. These expanded requirements apply to single-family homes, townhouses, apartments, condos, cottages, and other residential units where there is any potential CO risk.

4. Buildings with shared heating systems, attached garages, or fuel-burning appliances need to ensure alarms are placed in specific areas like units adjacent to service rooms, corridors, or spaces where CO could accumulate.

So, if your home has any fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace, an attached garage, or heating ducted from a fuel-burning source, you must now have working CO alarms on each floor, not just outside sleeping zones.

Who Is Responsible for Compliance?

The new requirements place clear responsibilities on homeowners, landlords, and building owners:

• Homeowners must ensure CO alarms are properly installed and maintained throughout the home.

• Landlords are responsible for installing and maintaining alarms in rental units, testing them regularly, and providing tenants with maintenance instructions.

• Condominium corporations and multi-unit residential owners must ensure alarms are placed not only within units but also in common areas or service spaces as required by the Fire Code.

Tenants, meanwhile, must ensure they do not disable or tamper with alarms and must report issues to property owners promptly

Why These Changes Matter

Ontario’s expanded CO alarm requirements aim to save lives by providing earlier warning of a hazard that would otherwise go undetected until it’s too late. CO poisoning can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, loss of consciousness, even death, often without any sensory warning.

Installing alarms on every level increases the chance that dangerous CO levels will be detected quickly and gives occupants more time to evacuate safely and call for help. Regular maintenance, including annual appliance inspections, testing alarms monthly, and replacing batteries as needed, is also crucial.

With the 2026 Fire Code now in effect, ensuring your home complies with the new carbon monoxide alarm rules isn’t just about following regulations — it’s about protecting your family and home from a serious and invisible danger. If your property hasn’t yet been updated to meet the new requirements, now is the time to act.

At Waza Home Comfort, we’re here to help keep your home safe and comfortable. Have questions about CO alarms or need service for fuel-burning appliances? Contact us or call 905-424-2090 – your safety is our priority.