Energy Efficiency Standards Update (Amendment 19)

Summary#

Natural Resources Canada has published a proposal called Regulations Amending the Energy Efficiency Regulations, 2016 (Amendment 19).
It would raise or add minimum energy-performance and test standards for many household, commercial and industrial products, remove outdated rules, and align many requirements with U.S. standards.
The proposal (published in the Canada Gazette, Part I on June 20, 2026) is at the consultation stage. The public can comment for 70 days.

What it does#

• Adds or tightens minimum efficiency and test rules for many products, including:
  • motors, clothes washers and dryers, refrigerators and freezers, dishwashers, TVs, air cleaners, computer room air conditioners, pool heaters and pool pump motors.
  • It often adopts the U.S. standards (references to the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)) to keep rules harmonized.
• Introduces or updates labelling for some products (for example, EnerGuide labels for air cleaners, gas dryers and pool heaters) and requires more model-level information to be reported to government.
• Lets manufacturers voluntarily meet new rules up to 1 year before they become mandatory for some products (an “early compliance” option).
• Removes about 300 outdated standards and reorganizes the regulations to group similar products together (a red‑tape reduction measure).
• Estimates of broad outcomes in the proposal’s cost‑benefit analysis:
  • Cumulative net benefits of about $26.7 billion (present value) for products shipped by 2050. Total benefits $37.6 billion minus costs $10.9 billion (present value).
  • Annualized net benefits of about $1.4 billion.
  • Energy savings of about 48 PJ (13.2 TWh) in 2050 and cumulative savings of about 675 PJ (187.6 TWh) by 2050.
  • GHG reductions of about 3 MtCO2e in 2050 and cumulative 38 MtCO2e by 2050.

Who's affected#

• Manufacturers, importers and retailers of the listed products. Many of these are multinational firms that serve North American markets.
• Dealers and distributors who import or ship products across provinces.
• Testing and certification bodies used for third‑party verification.
• Utilities and building operators (they may see lower peak demand).
• Consumers and businesses that buy or replace appliances and equipment. Some product buyers will save money over time; others may face higher upfront prices.
• Small businesses: the proposal estimates about 7,313 small businesses could be affected by compliance and reporting duties.
• Provincial regulators that reference the federal rules, and trade partners in North America because of the harmonization with U.S. rules.
  If it is unclear who will notice a specific change for a particular product, the proposal points readers to the full regulatory text for product‑by‑product timing and details.

Why it matters#

• Real household and business impacts: tighter standards aim to lower energy bills and reduce the amount of electricity the grid must supply. The proposal estimates the 2050 annual energy savings would be enough to power about 540,000 Canadian homes for a year, and cumulative savings to 2050 enough for about 7.7 million homes for a year.
• Climate and grid effects: the rules are designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions (cumulative 38 MtCO2e by 2050) and ease pressure on electricity systems as demand grows.
• Trade and market effects: using many U.S. test methods and limits is intended to reduce duplicate testing and trade frictions with suppliers in North America.
• Costs and distribution: the proposal’s analysis says benefits outweigh costs overall, but some buyers (for example, purchasers of certain gas clothes dryers, pool pump motors, or large commercial heaters) could face higher upfront prices that are not always fully offset by lifetime energy savings. Low‑income households and some small businesses may find higher purchase prices challenging even when lifetime savings exist.
• Next steps: this is a proposed rule. It is not in force yet. Interested parties can comment during the 70‑day consultation window after the Part I notice. The proposal describes different coming‑into‑force dates for product groups if it proceeds to Part II.