What does Ontario law say about gas work?
The TSSA, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority, is the public safety regulator the Government of Ontario mandates to enforce fuels safety. In its words:
Under Ontario law, maintenance of furnaces and fuel-fired appliances must be performed by TSSA-registered contractors.
(TSSA, June 22, 2026)All registered contractors are required to hire TSSA-certified gas technicians who have extensive training and are qualified to perform fuels work safely.
(the same notice)Registered Fuels Contractors are the only businesses that are legally authorized to do fuels related work in Ontario.
(TSSA)
What is the difference between registered and certified?
| Term | Applies to | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Registered fuels contractor | The company | The business is legally authorized to do fuels-related work in Ontario, and appears in the TSSA's lookup tool. |
| Certified gas technician | The person doing the work | The technician holds TSSA certification; registered contractors are required to hire them. |
You want both: a registered company, sending a certified technician.
How do I check a company before I hire it?
The TSSA encourages anyone hiring a contractor for fuel-related work to search for and verify it in the Authorized Heating Fuel Contractors lookup tool. Search by the company's name, or by its city or postal code. The TSSA notes that being listed is not an endorsement or a referral, so choose carefully as well.
What happens when someone works on gas without it?
The quotes above come from a TSSA notice of June 22, 2026 about a repeat offender convicted of working on gas appliances in Ontario homes without certification and of acting as a contractor without registration. In two of those cases, the TSSA says, the work was left so hazardous that the gas utility had to be called to shut off the gas to protect the residents. The TSSA asks people to report fraudulent fuels workers to it.
Which jobs does this cover in a house?
The rule names furnaces and fuel-fired appliances. In a typical house that means the furnace or boiler, a gas water heater, and the gas appliances on the gas lines: a stove, a dryer, a BBQ, a fireplace or a heater. The Government of Ontario adds that fuel-burning appliances, chimneys and vents should be cleaned and inspected by professionals every year (Government of Ontario).
What if I smell gas?
That is not a contractor call first. Enbridge Gas says to leave right away and call 1-866-763-5427 or 911 once you are safely away (Enbridge Gas). The emergency page has every first step.