Ontario's new air conditioning laws in 2026 are primarily driven by federal Canada-wide refrigerant regulations and Ontario's updated building codes and energy efficiency standards. As of January 1, 2025, Canada aligned with US EPA AIM Act rules requiring new residential air conditioners and heat pumps to use low Global Warming Potential refrigerants with GWP below 700, phasing out R-410A in favor of R-454B and R-32. In 2026, this means all new Tempstar, Carrier, Lennox and other units sold in Ontario must use R-454B or R-32, and contractors must be certified to handle A2L mildly flammable refrigerants. Ontario's 2024 Ontario Building Code update, which takes full effect through 2025-2026, requires higher minimum efficiency of 15 SEER2 for new installations and better sizing documentation. For landlords, Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act was amended to clarify that if a lease includes air conditioning, landlords must maintain cooling to a maximum of 26 degrees Celsius, and municipalities like Toronto, Mississauga, and Ottawa have bylaws requiring rental units to have adequate cooling if tenants request it. Additionally, Enbridge and Ontario's Home Efficiency Rebate Plus program in 2026 continues to offer 5,000 to 7,500 dollar rebates for high-efficiency cold-climate heat pumps replacing gas furnaces, pushing heat pump adoption over straight AC.
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