Smoke Detector Laws in Ontario

Law

• A homeowner must ensure that a working smoke detector must be present on every story of a home, including outside of sleeping areas. If a home is rented, the landlord must ensure their property complies. Tenants of a rental property are not allowed to tamper with the alarm or remove the batteries. The law applies to all homes, including family homes, semi-detached houses, and town homes.

Testing

• Smoke detectors must be replaced at least once every 10 years. However, they sometimes stop working before that period. The Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services recommends that smoke alarms be tested at least once a month, batteries be replaced once a year, and that they be vacuumed once a year as well to clear away any dust and dirt.

Fines

• Fines for not having a working smoke detector can range from $235 to $50,000 in homes. For corporations, fines can be up to $100,000. Fines can be assessed for not having a functioning smoke alarm, failure to have the minimum required number of alarms, intentionally disabling smoke detectors, or in the case of landlords, failing to provide instructions on how to operate an alarm to the tenant.

Locations

• Within a home, there must be a working smoke alarm on every story. A level that does not have a finished floor is not considered to be a story. An attic space requires a smoke alarm if the floor is finished. A cellar is considered to be a story as well. A crawl space is not considered to be a story. The best locations for fire alarms is the center of a ceiling, not on walls or in corners. If a story contains two levels, the level with the higher ceiling is ideal.