Starting January 1, 2026, homeowners and landlords in Mattawa, Ontario, must have installed additional carbon monoxide (CO) alarms to comply with amendments to the Ontario Fire Code (O. Reg. 213/07) that expand CO alarm requirements across the province. The updated rules require a working alarm on every storey of a home when there is a risk of carbon monoxide exposure.
Under current law, CO alarms were required adjacent to sleeping areas; the 2026 Fire Code changes expand placement. The new requirements apply to any home that contains a fuel‑burning appliance (for example, furnaces, water heaters or stoves that use natural gas, propane, oil or wood), has a fireplace, has an attached garage, or is heated by air from a fuel‑burning appliance that is not contained within the home. In those cases, a CO alarm is now required on every storey of the dwelling, including basements.
For residents of apartments and rental houses, municipal guidance and the provincial Fire Code make clear that landlords (building owners) are responsible for installing and maintaining CO alarms in rental units. Landlords are required to install alarms, test them (for example annually and when tenancy changes), and provide tenants with maintenance instructions.
The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) and the Office of the Fire Marshal note that acceptable CO alarm types include hardwired, battery‑operated, or plug‑in devices (many combined smoke/CO units are also available). Under the Fire Code and the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, building owners who do not comply with the requirements may be subject to enforcement action, including fines or other penalties.
Industry groups such as the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs have said the extended lead time was intended to give residents notice to upgrade their homes and align provincial rules with the 2020 National Fire Code of Canada. Local officials — including the Mattawa Fire Department — have been focusing on public education in the lead‑up to Jan. 1, 2026 and say they will continue outreach as enforcement begins, to help households understand the new requirements.
