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Ontario says it will pursue legislative changes allowing adults to buy and use Health Canada-approved over-the-counter hearing aids without a prescription. The changes are expected in the province’s 2026 Fall Economic Statement; timing and safeguards are not yet settled. Existing provincial assistance for prescribed hearing aids is expected to remain unchanged.
Ontario plans to change provincial rules to let adults buy and use Health Canada-approved over-the-counter hearing aids without a prescription, the provincial government announced Tuesday. The proposal could expand access to hearing support for people with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss, while its precise requirements and start date remain unsettled.
The Ford government expects to include the proposed changes in Ontario’s 2026 Fall Economic Statement, scheduled for release on or before Nov. 15. Under current provincial law, hearing aids can be sold only with a prescription from a physician or audiologist. The planned changes would remove that requirement for eligible over-the-counter devices approved by Health Canada.
The government says the shift is intended to increase consumer choice and access, not replace the existing prescription system. According to the source report, Ontario has said changes will not affect the province’s Assistive Devices Program, which helps eligible residents pay for prescribed hearing aids. That program currently covers up to 75% of the cost, to a maximum of $500 per aid; the report says it does not cover future non-prescription OTC devices.
The change could also affect consumer technology features. Apple’s hearing aid and hearing test functions for AirPods Pro 2 and 3 have received federal approval, according to the report, but remain unavailable in Ontario under the current provincial prescription rule. If the legislation takes effect and the devices meet applicable requirements, Ontario users may be able to access those features. The province has not yet set out the final legal framework, so availability should not be treated as immediate or guaranteed.
How Easier Access Could Change Hearing Care
Removing the prescription barrier could give some adults a more direct route to hearing support, particularly people who face cost, distance or appointment barriers when seeking care. It may also broaden the role of consumer devices: earbuds with approved hearing functions could become an option alongside conventional hearing aids, subject to the rules Ontario ultimately adopts.
However, access without a prescription does not mean every hearing problem is suitable for self-management. The Ontario Association of Professional Audiology has warned that hearing difficulties can have causes requiring assessment, including wax buildup or more serious medical conditions. That concern makes the details of consumer safeguards and clear guidance consequential. Ontario’s announcement establishes a policy direction, but it does not yet explain how purchasers will be screened or advised.
People who rely on provincial assistance should also distinguish the planned OTC route from existing coverage. The report says the current program’s support for prescribed devices will continue, while OTC devices are not covered under that program. The proposal therefore adds a possible purchasing option rather than confirming public funding for it.
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Ontario’s Prescription Rule and Device Approval
Ontario’s current prescription requirement has limited the sale and use of OTC hearing aids in the province, even where a device has federal approval. The planned legislative change would address that provincial barrier for Health Canada-approved products; it does not itself constitute federal approval of any new device.
The report says the province held a 30-day public consultation beginning in April 2026 and that responses showed overwhelming support, although it provides no response count or breakdown. Ontario is advancing the proposal through its Health Innovation Pathway, described as an initiative to support health innovation. The material available does not provide further details on how that pathway will shape the legislation.
Health Canada approved Apple’s Hearing Aid Feature and Hearing Test Feature in 2025 for people with mild to moderate hearing loss, according to The Hearing Review. The features are available in some other countries, but Ontario’s provincial rules have prevented their activation there. The provincial announcement is therefore a prospective regulatory change, not confirmation that the AirPods features are now active in Ontario.
“By making life-changing technologies like over-the-counter hearing aids more accessible, we’re giving Ontarians more choice and flexibility to get the hearing support they need, when and where they need it.”
— Sylvia Jones, Ontario deputy premier and minister of health
Rules, Safeguards and Start Date
The announcement does not specify the final wording of the legislation, when it would take effect, or which consumer protections and product-use instructions Ontario will require. The exact process for confirming eligibility and directing people with warning signs to professional care is also not yet clear.
It remains uncertain when, or under what conditions, Apple will activate its AirPods hearing features for Ontario users. The source report says the features are federally approved but inactive in the province under current rules; the proposed change alone does not confirm a launch date. The consultation’s reported support is also not quantified in the material provided.
Fall Statement Sets the Next Milestone
The next stated milestone is Ontario’s 2026 Fall Economic Statement, expected on or before Nov. 15, when the government is expected to formalize the legislative changes. The province’s legislative and regulatory details should clarify which devices qualify, when sales and use can begin, and what safeguards will apply.
Until those details are released and the changes take effect, Ontario residents remain subject to the current prescription rule. Prospective buyers should check official provincial guidance and device-specific eligibility information once available; people with hearing concerns or symptoms that may need medical attention can seek advice from a regulated hearing health professional.
Key Questions
Will Ontario allow adults to buy hearing aids without a prescription?
The province has announced plans to change its rules to allow adults to buy and use Health Canada-approved OTC hearing aids without a prescription. The change is not yet in effect.
When could the new rules take effect?
Ontario expects to include the changes in its 2026 Fall Economic Statement, due on or before Nov. 15. The announcement does not give a separate start date for the rules.
Will AirPods Pro hearing features become available in Ontario?
The change could clear a provincial regulatory barrier affecting Apple’s approved hearing features for AirPods Pro 2 and 3. The government has not confirmed an activation date or specific conditions for availability.
Will Ontario’s hearing aid assistance program change?
The report says the proposed changes will not affect the Assistive Devices Program’s support for prescribed hearing aids. It currently covers up to 75% of the cost, to a maximum of $500 per aid, and does not cover future OTC devices.
Are OTC hearing aids suitable for everyone?
No. Ontario’s audiology organizations caution that some symptoms or underlying conditions need professional assessment. The final rules and safeguards have not yet been announced.
Source: hearingreview.com
