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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 proposal is expected in the province’s 2026 Fall Economic Statement; details of safeguards and implementation are not yet clear.
Ontario plans to allow adults to buy and use Health Canada-approved over-the-counter hearing aids without a prescription, the provincial government announced Tuesday. The proposed change would remove a provincial restriction that currently requires a physician’s or audiologist’s prescription for hearing aid sales, and is expected to be included in the 2026 Fall Economic Statement.
The government’s plan concerns OTC hearing aids approved by Health Canada. Under current Ontario law, hearing aids can be sold only with a prescription from a physician or audiologist. The province says it will pursue legislative changes to permit OTC sales and use, but the change has not yet taken effect.
The proposal could also affect consumer devices that offer hearing assistance. The Hearing Review reports that Apple’s Hearing Aid and Hearing Test features, approved by Health Canada in 2025 for people with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss, are inactive in Ontario because of the existing prescription requirement. The features are available on AirPods Pro 2 and 3, but when Ontario users could activate them depends on the provincial legislative change taking effect.
The province says the proposal would complement, not replace, the prescription system, and would not alter the Assistive Devices Program. That program currently covers up to 75% of the cost of prescribed hearing aids, to a maximum of $500 per aid. The source report says it does not cover future non-prescription OTC devices.
Prescription Rules Could Change
Removing the prescription requirement could give some adults a new route to hearing support without first obtaining a prescription. The change is particularly relevant to people with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss and to those who face barriers to accessing hearing care, although the proposal’s practical reach will depend on the final rules and which devices qualify.
The plan may also allow companies to activate hearing assistance functions in consumer electronics for Ontario users. That possibility does not mean every earbud is a regulated hearing aid or that a device will be suitable for every person. The key development is a proposed change to provincial access rules; product eligibility, safeguards and the start date remain to be set out.
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Ontario’s Existing Access Rules
Ontario’s prescription requirement has prevented OTC hearing aid sales under provincial law, despite federal approval of some products and features. The Hearing Review reports that Health Canada approved Apple’s hearing aid and hearing test functions in 2025, while those features remain unavailable to Ontario users under the current provincial framework.
The government is advancing the proposal through its Health Innovation Pathway. The report says the province held a 30-day public consultation beginning in April 2026 and that responses showed strong support for the change. The announcement follows those consultations, but the final legislation and its details have not yet been published.
“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 and Safeguards Still Pending
The province has announced its intention to legislate, but the final wording, approval process, safeguards and implementation date have not been provided in the source report. It is also not yet clear which devices will qualify under Ontario’s eventual framework or what consumer information and screening requirements will apply.
Audiology groups have cautioned that hearing difficulties can have causes that require clinical attention. CASLPO said OTC devices are not appropriate for children or people with symptoms or underlying medical conditions that need assessment by a regulated professional. The proposal’s safeguards will determine how those cases are addressed.
Fall Statement Sets Next Milestone
The next stated milestone is Ontario’s 2026 Fall Economic Statement, expected by Nov. 15, when the government says the legislative changes are expected to be included. The proposal must still be formalized before the current prescription rule changes.
After the statement, readers will need to look for the legislation and any accompanying regulations to learn when OTC sales can begin, which products will be covered and what protections will apply. The timing of any activation of Apple’s hearing features in Ontario will depend on the final legal framework taking effect.
Key Questions
Will Ontarians be able to buy OTC hearing aids now?
No. The government has announced plans to change the law, but the existing prescription requirement remains until the legislative changes take effect.
Who would be eligible under the proposal?
The plan is described as allowing adults to access Health Canada-approved OTC hearing aids without a prescription. The report identifies adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss; final eligibility rules have not been published.
Could AirPods Pro hearing features become available in Ontario?
They could, according to The Hearing Review, because Ontario’s prescription requirement has kept Apple’s Health Canada-approved hearing features inactive in the province. Availability would depend on the new provincial framework taking effect.
Will the change replace Ontario’s hearing aid funding program?
The province says the proposal will not change the Assistive Devices Program or its coverage for prescribed hearing aids. The report says the program does not cover future non-prescription OTC devices.
When could the new rules take effect?
The government expects to include legislative changes in its 2026 Fall Economic Statement, due on or before Nov. 15. The announcement does not specify when the rules would take effect.
Source: hearingreview.com
