Residents in Kapuskasing, Ontario, will soon need more carbon monoxide alarms in their homes to comply with updated provincial safety rules. Starting January 1, 2026, changes to the Ontario Fire Code require these alarms to be installed on every storey of a residence, expanding beyond the existing requirement to have them adjacent to sleeping areas.
The updated rules apply to homes that have an attached garage or a fuel-burning appliance, such as a furnace, hot water heater, stove, or a gas or wood fireplace. Pat Kennedy, Kapuskasing’s fire chief and general manager of protective services, says the goal is to prevent deaths from the colourless, odourless gas by ensuring people are alerted even if a leak starts in a basement or a living room far from the bedrooms.
These new requirements affect all types of housing, including detached houses, townhomes, apartments, condos and seasonal cottages. The Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs notes the changes align the province with the 2020 National Fire Code of Canada.
Homeowners may meet the requirements with battery-operated, plug-in, or hardwired CO alarms. Local fire officials say they will promote the changes through public education, awareness campaigns and inspections as part of compliance efforts under the updated Ontario Fire Code.
