Most fatal fires occur at night when people are sleeping. The sooner a sleeping person wakes up and uses their home escape plan, the greater his or her chances of surviving a fire.

Maintenance and Installation of Smoke Alarms (pdf)

Managing Nuisance Alarms (pdf)

Types of Smoke Alarms (pdf)

Smoke Alarms It’s the Law

Effective March 1, 2006, it is the law for all Ontario homes to have a working smoke alarm on every storey and outside all sleeping areas. With this previously announced Fire Code amendment now in effect, it is hoped there will be a reduction of the number of preventable fire-related injuries and fatalities. The amendment covers single family, semi-detached and town homes, whether owner-occupied or rented.

The penalties for non-compliance of smoke alarm requirements remain the same:

• $235 fine (total payable) under Part 1 (Certificates of offence) of the Provincial Offences Act; or

• a maximum $50,000 fine or up to one year in jail or both for individuals under Subsection 28.(3)(b), and

• a maximum $100,000 fine for corporations, under Subsection 28.(4) of the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997.

If you live in a rental property:

Landlords and Tenants Responsibilities