The 2019 edition of CAN/ULC-S524 brings significant updates to fire alarm installation standards in Canada. From circuit fault tolerance and suite fault isolators to wireless devices and UPS requirements, here's what every electrician and fire alarm technician needs to know.

CAN/ULC‑S537‑19 has fundamentally raised the bar for how new and modified fire alarm systems are verified in Canada. This edition aligns verification with the 2019 installation and inspection standards, and it embeds detailed, non‑optional report formats. Verifiers must now test field devices, circuits, power supplies, and monitoring connections against defined performance and response‑time criteria. Documentation—drawings, sequences of operation, device lists, and completed verification records—has become a core part of compliance, not an afterthought. For owners, engineers, and contractors, that makes verification a key milestone in both safety and regulatory due diligence.

Starting January 1, 2026, Ontario will officially require all annual fire alarm inspections to comply with the CAN/ULC-S536-19 standard. This update introduces more rigorous device-level testing, mandatory standardized reporting forms, and enhanced battery test methods. Property owners should prepare for longer service windows and increased labor costs as inspections become significantly more thorough and documentation-heavy.

Where Carbon Monoxide Alarms Must Be Installed

In buildings where a fuel-burning appliance is located in a service room rather than inside the suite itself, carbon monoxide alarms are still required to protect occupants in nearby units. A CO alarm must be installed in the service room containing the appliance, and in any suite that shares a common wall, floor, or ceiling with that service room.

To ensure effective warning during an emergency, alarms must also be installed adjacent to the sleeping areas within those suites. This ensures occupants are alerted even when doors are closed, maximizing safety during overnight hours.