Changes to Ontario’s Fire Code require additional CO alarms in living spaces
Guelph, Ont., December 8, 2025 – As of January 1, 2026, changes to the Ontario Fire Code, will help increase the chance of detecting a carbon monoxide (CO) leak in your home. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odourless, and deadly gas, and CO alarms are one of the only ways to detect its presence.
The changes apply to a variety of housing types, such as detached or semi-detached houses, townhouses, and cottages. Under the new rules, CO alarms must be installed near all bedrooms and on every storey or level of your home, including levels that do not have sleeping areas, in any home that has:
• A fuel-burning appliance (like a furnace, water heater, or stove that uses natural gas, propane, oil, or wood)
• A fireplace
• An attached garage
• Air for heating that comes from a fuel-burning appliance not contained within the home (e.g., an appliance in a utility shed).
Additional requirements are in place for owners, landlords, and operators of existing multi-unit residential (i.e. apartment buildings) and care occupancy buildings (i.e. group homes, care facilities, etc.).
Keep your family and home protected, replace any expired CO alarms with new units today.
For more information:
Matt Valeriote, Assistant Chief Fire Prevention Officer
Guelph Fire Department
519-822-1260 extension 2136
[email protected]