How Montréal is built
- Before 1961 48%
- 1961–1990 38%
- 1991–2000 6%
- 2001 or later 8%
The rule in Quebec
Quebec has no province-wide rule requiring CO alarms in existing houses: provincial rules cover larger multi-unit buildings, and for houses it's up to each municipality's by-law, so ask your local fire service.
Where CO alarms go: installation rules in Quebec
What the rules say about installing alarms:
- There's no province-wide rule for houses: municipal by-laws decide, so ask your municipal fire service.
- Provincial rules cover larger buildings (multi-unit buildings of more than 2 storeys and 8 units, rooming houses, hotels and seniors' residences), where units with a combustion appliance or direct access to an indoor parking garage need a CO alarm.
- For new houses, the National Building Code 2020 (Article 9.32.3.9) requires a CO alarm inside each bedroom or within 5 m outside each bedroom door when the home has a fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage, an alarm in any room with a solid-fuel-burning appliance (on or near the ceiling unless the maker's instructions say otherwise), and interconnected alarms in a house with a secondary suite.
CO sources in Montréal homes
In the Montréal area, the main heating energy is natural gas for 5% and oil for about 2% of households (Statistics Canada, 2023). Any fuel-burning appliance, fireplace or attached garage is a potential CO source.
Single-detached houses make up 7% of Montréal's households; many have an attached garage, another reason to put an alarm near the door into the house.
What a CO check involves
- Alarms next to sleeping areas and on every storey, tested monthly and replaced by their end-of-life date (usually 7 to 10 years).
- Annual service of fuel-burning appliances by a licensed technician.
- A combustion spillage test during an energy evaluation, which catches a venting problem before it produces CO.
Our carbon monoxide guide · Combustion safety testing in Montréal
Communities served
Nearby communities without a page of their own: Beaconsfield (about 21 km away). Montréal is the closest city we cover.
The organizations and professionals listed for Montréal may or may not travel to every community, so ask when you call.
Carbon monoxide testing in Montréal: common questions
Are carbon monoxide alarms mandatory in Montréal?
Quebec has no province-wide rule requiring CO alarms in existing houses: provincial rules cover larger multi-unit buildings, and for houses it's up to each municipality's by-law, so ask your local fire service.
Where should CO alarms go in Quebec?
There's no province-wide rule for houses: municipal by-laws decide, so ask your municipal fire service. Provincial rules cover larger buildings (multi-unit buildings of more than 2 storeys and 8 units, rooming houses, hotels and seniors' residences), where units with a combustion appliance or direct access to an indoor parking garage need a CO alarm. For new houses, the National Building Code 2020 (Article 9.32.3.9) requires a CO alarm inside each bedroom or within 5 m outside each bedroom door when the home has a fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage, an alarm in any room with a solid-fuel-burning appliance (on or near the ceiling unless the maker's instructions say otherwise), and interconnected alarms in a house with a secondary suite.
How long do CO alarms last?
Most have an end-of-life date of 7 to 10 years printed on the unit; replace them by then even if they still beep when tested.