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Carbon monoxide detectors required in Manitoba homes

Dec. 26, 2010, Winnipeg – Every home in Manitoba will be required to install a carbon-monoxide detector by April.

Manitoba's Building Standards Board approved amendments that require battery-operated or hard-wired detectors for the poisonous gas be installed in existing homes.

New home construction will require hard-wired CO detectors.

Some owners of older homes currently have plug-in detectors that will not meet the new standards.

Ontario is also considering making carbon-monoxide detectors mandatory in homes.

All three provincial parties in Manitoba supported a Progressive Conservative private member's bill on second reading this month, sending it to a legislative committee for further study.

Six Winnipeggers narrowly survived carbon-monoxide poisoning earlier last week.

A former Ontario firefighter is using the near-tragedy to try to educate Canadians on the silent killer's dangers.

"My first reaction when I heard was, 'I'm glad nothing happened, but God, we need to get out there and do something,' " said John
Gignac.

Gignac established a foundation after carbon-monoxide poisoning took the lives of his niece and her family in December 2008.

He never wants to see a similar tragedy.

"If I only get one message across, it is to get a CO detector, or buy a detector for someone you love," urged Gignac.

"What better Christmas gift could you give? It would make you feel pretty good if you saved your family's lives."