Canada’s Energy Amendment Regulations – Amendment 18 Package

On April 9, 2025, final updates to a package of revisions to Canada's Energy Efficiency Act regulations, known as Amendment 18, were published in Canada Gazette, Part II.

This package of regulatory changes, along with a Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement, are now posted on the Canada Gazette website (link). Technical standards are also available on Natural Resources Canada’s website (link). Stakeholder engagement by NRCan with industry stakeholders to hear questions and provide clarification on the regulations will start after the April 28th federal election.

Responding to comments raised by HRAI members, the updated regulation has extended the implementation date for harmonization with US energy efficiency and testing standards for large air conditioners and heat pumps, as well as central air conditioners and heat pumps, to products manufactured on or after January 1, 2026.

HRAI members also provided comments on house water heaters, with NRCan providing the following revisions or responses:

  • New water heater requirements are to be harmonized with the US Department of Energy requirements, and will be mandatory on May 6, 2029;
  • The high temperature test for electric water heaters has been excluded from the referenced testing procedure;
  • Energy efficiency requirements for 50L to 76L, or 76L to 208L electric water heater groups were not changed from the draft regulation;
  • Delayed implementation of energy efficiency requirements for the 208L to 454L, and greater than 454L electric water heater categories, until May 6, 2029
  • For gas-fired storage water heaters, the revised regulation postpones the effective date to May 6, 2029

Comments provided by other stakeholder groups, and responses from NRCan are available on the Canada Gazette website Canada Gazette’s website (link).

HRAI was informed prior to the election that another package of proposed changes to Energy Efficiency Act regulations, Amendment 19, may be available in early 2026, but would be subject to change by the incoming government following the April 28, 2025 federal election. That package is expected to include updates or new requirements for commercial gas furnaces, ground-source heat pumps, air cleaners, commercial oil-fired furnaces among other types of energy-using products.

For more information, or to get involved with HRAI working groups that will review future Energy Efficiency Act regulations, please contact Perry Chao at pchao@hrai.ca.

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