TSSA and Local Fire Departments Team Up CO Safety
TORONTO, ON, November 3, 2025 –– Carbon Monoxide (CO), often dubbed the ‘Silent Killer”, continues to be a leading cause of accidental poisoning in Ontario, with approximately 65% of all CO incidents occurring where people should feel safest: at home.
As part of its ongoing efforts to deliver CO safety education, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) is once again teaming up with local fire and emergency services to increase CO awareness by launching one of its community CO safety campaigns in various communities across central and eastern Ontario.
The message: knowledge can – and does – save lives. Previous campaigns have reached thousands of residents, successfully boosting their levels of CO knowledge and the simple steps to take that reduce risks. Building on these proven campaigns, TSSA is rolling out new resources this fall to broaden the reach even further. Ontarians can now access a series of short, sharable videos explaining CO safety basics, along with a new “Kids CO Activity Sheet” designed to engage younger audiences. All resources are available online at COsafety.ca.
Starting the week of November 3, 2025 CO safety materials and messages will land directly in mailboxes, on social media feeds, and through various other communication channels. This, together with the ongoing public education efforts of community fire and emergency services departments, will provide vital information to assist residents in reducing CO risks in their homes.
“During the cold weather months, there’s naturally an increased use of furnaces and fireplaces, and even though these fuel-burning appliances may be safely designed, they can emit deadly levels of CO gas if not properly installed, inspected and maintained regularly,” says Owen Kennedy, TSSA’s Director of Fuels Safety. “While CO presents serious hazards, residents can significantly reduce CO risks and any potential harm by taking these two important steps,” adds Kennedy.
- Have all fuel-burning appliances inspected annually through the services of a TSSA-
registered fuel contractor. To find a TSSA-registered contractor, use the Find A Registered Contractor Tool. - Have working, certified CO alarms in your home, regularly test them, change batteries and replace them in accordance with manufacturer’s instruction.
“It’s also important to remember to never use any fuel-burning appliances indoors that are specifically designed and approved for outdoor use only,” adds Kennedy.
On average, Ontario homes have roughly 4-6 fuel-burning appliances that produce CO. While these appliances may be safely designed, like many other commonly used items, they must be properly operated and maintained.
The attached backgrounderprovides additional information on carbon monoxide.
Stay one step ahead of CO – Beat the Silent Killer. TAKEACTION. THINKSAFE. COsafety.ca
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About TSSA
Throughout Ontario, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) administers provincial safety regulations and enhances public safety. TSSA regulates the safety of amusement devices, boilers and pressure vessels, elevating devices, fuels, operating engineers, and ski lifts. Its range of safety services includes public education, authorization, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, compliance support, enforcement, and prosecution activities.
www.tssa.org
For more information or to arrange media availability, please contact:
TSSA
Alexandra Campbell
Vice President, Communications, Stakeholder Relations
and Customer Service
Technical Standards and Safety Authority
Telephone: 416-734-6227
Email: media@tssa.org
TORONTO, ON, November 3, 2025 – Every year, Ontario homes are the location of nearly 65 per cent of all CO incidents. CO also remains a leading cause of unintentional poisoning. With this in mind and to raise awareness of CO risks, four of the provinces’ leading safety organizations are teaming up to fight this “silent killer”. The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA), Ontario Poison Centre (OPC), Parachute, Canada’s national charity dedicated to injury prevention, and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) are combining efforts for Ontario’s annual CO Awareness Week, running November 1 to 7, to drive home a few critical messages.
The four organizations work year-round to increase carbon monoxide awareness and help Ontarians take practical steps to reduce risks at home. Each brings its own lens and focus to the challenge.
This fall, TSSA is once again launching one of its community CO safety campaigns. Previous campaigns have reached thousands of residents, successfully increasing their levels of CO knowledge and the actions to take to reduce risks. Building on these proven campaigns, TSSA is rolling out new initiatives this fall to broaden the reach even further. Ontarians can now access a series of short, sharable videos explaining CO safety basics, along with a new “Kids CO Activity Sheet” designed to engage younger audiences. All resources are available online at COsafety.ca.
These efforts, combined with the safety resources and education materials available on the websites of OPC, Parachute and SickKids, are making it easier for Ontarians to access up-to-date, reliable information and practical tools to reduce the risks and potential of harms of CO poisoning.
This unified approach underscores a shared commitment to CO safety with clear focus on helping all Ontario residents to reduce CO risks in their homes. By combining voices, resources and expertise, TSSA, OPC, Parachute, and SickKids are helping residents in Ontario take simple but vital steps to keep themselves, family and friends safe.
Quotes:
TSSA
“Our public education efforts are two-fold: increasing CO awareness and providing clear actions to reduce CO risk” says Owen Kennedy, Director, Fuels Safety Program.“ It’s all about scheduling an inspection of their fuel-burning appliances and having certified, working CO alarms in their homes; two key actions to protect themselves and their loved ones from CO risks in their home.”
OPC
“CO is a leading cause of inadvertent poisoning in Ontario and remains a major cause of preventable harm.” says, Dr. Emily Austin, Medical Director.” OPC telephone service provides guidance to the public on what to do in the event of a possible CO exposure and supports health care providers in managing affected patients. We are pleased to be working with TSSA, Parachute and SickKids on these important CO public education initiatives.”
Parachute
“When Canadians think of sources of poisoning, they aren’t aware that carbon monoxide is a leading cause of unintentional poisoning deaths in Canada and North America,” says Pamela Fuselli, President & CEO at Parachute. “It’s important to generate more awareness of CO risks and better understanding of the steps Canadians can take to better protect their homes and families. Collaborating with TSSA, OPC and SickKids is an opportunity to extend our reach to enhance the public’s level of CO knowledge.”
SickKids
“Children are a particularly at-risk group for many poisons, including carbon monoxide, due to their smaller size, higher metabolic rate, and developing bodies” explains Emma Schmidt, Injury Prevention Specialist at SickKids. “As experts in child health, it is important for us to help ensure that parents and caregivers are aware of the risks and understand how to reduce them. The new initiatives led by TSSA are another important resource to provide essential information about CO awareness and prevention.”
The attached backgrounder provides additional information on carbon monoxide.
Stay one step ahead of CO – Beat the Silent Killer. TAKEACTION. THINKSAFE. COsafety.ca
-30-
About TSSA
Throughout Ontario, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) administers provincial safety regulations and enhances public safety. TSSA regulates the safety of amusement devices, boilers and pressure vessels, elevating devices, fuels, operating engineers, and ski lifts. Its range of safety services includes public education, authorization, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, compliance support, enforcement, and prosecution activities.
www.tssa.org
About Ontario Poison Centre
The Ontario Poison Centre (OPC) is a telephone toxicology consultation service that provides expert poison advice 24 hours a day to the public, emergency service personnel and health-care professionals across the province. The OPC participates in the ongoing care of the poisoned patient by following the clinical course of hospitalization, assessing the effectiveness of treatment recommendations and providing additional treatment recommendations. Our toxicology experts will collaborate with other health-care professionals to advocate for optimal, current and evidence-based care of the poisoned patient. The OPC is operated and supported by The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto.
www.ontariopoisoncentre.com
About Parachute
Parachute, founded in 2012 through the amalgamation of four charities in the injury prevention field, has become Canada’s leader in injury prevention focused on three key areas where people are unintentionally injured: in the home, at play, and on the move. We educate and advocate for preventing serious injury in our homes, in sports and recreation and on our roads.
www.parachute.ca
About Sick Kids
The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), affiliated with the University of Toronto, is Canada's most research-intensive hospital and the largest centre dedicated to improving children's health in the country.
With passionate and dedicated staff, SickKids is much more than a hospital. We work each day to provide the best in child and family-centred care, pioneer ground-breaking clinical and scientific advancements, and train the next generation of experts in child health. Together, we are advancing Precision Child Health, a movement to individualize care for every child based on what makes them unique - from their genetic code to their postal code. More information on injury prevention at SickKids can be found at: https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/injuryprev
For more information or to arrange media availability, please contact:
TSSA
Alexandra Campbell
Vice President, Communications, Stakeholder Relations
and Customer Service
Technical Standards and Safety Authority
Telephone: 416-734-6227
Email: media@tssa.org
Parachute
Kelley Teahen
Vice President, Communications and Marketing
Telephone: 647-776-5128
Email: media@parachute.ca
SickKids/OPC
Sarah Warr
Team Lead, External Communications & Public Affairs
The Hospital for Sick Children
Email: sarah.warr@sickkids.ca
The fees for Certificates of Inspection (COI) charged to boiler and pressure vessel (BPV) owner and operators will change starting on January 2, 2026. Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) is increasing BPV COI fees to ensure the continued regulatory effectiveness of the BPV program and safety in the BPV industry.
New Fee Structure
Why the Increase?
As a not-for-profit regulator, TSSA is mandated under the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000, to deliver its safety mandate and recover all direct and indirect costs from the industries it regulates. In 2018, Ontario’s Auditor General noted that TSSA was not adequately meeting this obligation.
Since 2018, TSSA has gradually introduced fee increases across all its regulated sectors. TSSA has kept fee increases below the cumulative inflation rate and at cost recovery, except for the BPV COI program, which has been operating at a deficit since the program began.
In 2023, TSSA opted to delay a fee increase for BPV COIs to focus on expanding the BPV inventory base ─ following up on BPVs with lapsed COIs, reviewing insurer data to identify unlicensed devices, and evaluating agriculture BPVs that were previously exempt.
Current BPV Fees (May 1, 2025)
Why This Matters
Continuing to operate the BPV COI program at a deficit is unsustainable. It poses a public safety risk and limits TSSA’s ability to deliver its safety mandate.
To eliminate the projected deficit and achieve cost recovery, the fees have been recalculated using an up-to-date BPV inventory count. They reflect efficiency gains from modernized information technology systems, optimizing operational efficiencies and improved data accuracy. These changes will help ensure the program is fully supported and sustainable.
Our Commitment
We remain committed to safety and efficiency. Over the past five years, serious injuries and fatalities in TSSA-regulated sectors have declined, and we continue to focus on improving both safety and client experience in Ontario.
This notice was sent to BPV COI owners and BPV web subscribers.
Toronto, ON, October 24, 2025 — Berkim Construction Inc., a Toronto-based construction company, has been fined $7,000, plus a 25% victim surcharge, after pleading guilty to performing unsafe work in an elevator hoistway — an offence under the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000 (the “TSSA Act”).
During a regular maintenance inspection of an elevator at a church in Richmond Hill, Ontario, an elevator company mechanic observed a construction worker performing tasks inside the elevator hoistway under unsafe conditions. The top landing door was open, the interlock device had been removed, and the top of the elevator was covered with construction materials.
A subsequent investigation by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) revealed that the worker, employed by Berkim Construction Inc., had been using the elevating device to install a sixteen-foot galvanized metal cross on the exterior of the church. Berkim Construction proceeded with the work without the supervision of a certified elevator contractor, as required by Ontario Regulation 209/01 under the TSSA Act.
“By allowing an employee to work within the elevator hoistway without the required supervision of a certified mechanic, Berkim Construction Inc. exposed its worker to serious hazards,” said AJ Kadirgamar, Director of TSSA’s Elevating Devices Safety Program. “Compliance with elevator safety regulations is not optional; it’s a necessary step to protect both the workers involved with these devices and the public who use them.”
About TSSA
The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) is one of Ontario’s public safety regulators mandated by the Government of Ontario to enforce provincial safety regulations and enhance public safety. Throughout Ontario, TSSA regulates the safety of amusement devices, boilers and pressure vessels, elevating devices, fuels, operating engineers, and ski lifts. Its range of safety services include public education and consumer information, certification, licensing and registration, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, safety management consultation, compliance support and enforcement and prosecution activities. The organization’s vision is to be a valued advocate and recognized authority in public safety.
For more information, please contact:
Alexandra Campbell
Vice President, Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Technical Standards and Safety Authority
Telephone: 416-734-6227
Email: media@tssa.org