Province changes tune on carbon monoxide detectors

The Manitoba government scrambled Wednesday to change its message about plans to make carbon monoxide detectors mandatory.

Premier Greg Selinger now says only new houses and homes undergoing massive upgrades will have to get a CO detector – contradicting earlier statements from officials who said the devices would be mandatory in all homes, including existing ones.

“Every time you do a new house, you put a new carbon monoxide detector in. Every time you do a major renovation, you put a carbon monoxide detector in, it will save lives,” said Selinger.

That news had sparked concern from municipal government leaders, and the head of the Winnipeg fire fighters’ union, that it would be impossible to supervise and enforce the installation of the devices in hundreds of thousands of existing homes.

The Office of the Fire Commissioner admits provincial officials made a mistake. While the new provision does include some existing buildings, it doesn’t apply to existing residential homes.

“Properties where people are under care, so hospitals, daycares those types of buildings.” said Fire Commissioner Chris Jones

The new regulation comes into effect April 1.