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Ontario says it will change provincial rules to allow adults to buy and use Health Canada-approved over-the-counter hearing aids without a prescription. The change is expected in the 2026 Fall Economic Statement, due on or before Nov. 15; details of the final safeguards and timing remain pending.
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 legislative change, expected in the 2026 Fall Economic Statement, would loosen a rule that currently requires a prescription from a physician or audiologist to sell hearing aids in the province.
The government says the proposal applies to Health Canada-approved OTC devices. It is aimed at adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss, according to the announcement and statements from Ontario’s health-care regulators. The exact legislative wording and any new consumer safeguards have not yet been released.
The change could also make it possible for Apple to activate its AirPods Pro hearing aid and hearing test features for Ontario users. Health Canada approved those features in 2025, but they have remained unavailable in the province under its existing prescription requirement. The Hearing Review reports that the features are available on AirPods Pro 2 and 3; Ontario’s announcement did not set a specific activation date or confirm how the provincial rules will apply to each device.
The province says the planned change would complement the existing prescription system, not replace it, and would not affect the Assistive Devices Program. That program currently contributes up to 75% of the cost of prescribed hearing aids, to a maximum of $500 per aid. The source report says the program does not cover future non-prescription OTC hearing aids.
More Ways to Access Hearing Support
Removing the prescription requirement could give adults another route to hearing support, including people who face delays, cost barriers or difficulty reaching a hearing-care provider. It may also expand the role of consumer electronics in hearing assistance, although access to OTC products is not the same as a clinical assessment.
Ontario’s College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists says OTC devices may be a more affordable and convenient option for some adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss, provided appropriate protections are in place. The college cautions that these devices are not suitable for everyone, including children and people with symptoms or underlying conditions that need professional assessment.
The change would not remove the prescription pathway or extend the province’s stated device subsidy to OTC products. Consumers considering an OTC device may therefore face different costs and access to professional care than people using prescribed hearing aids.
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Ontario’s Prescription Rule and Proposed Change
Under current Ontario law, hearing aids can be sold only with a prescription from a physician or audiologist. The Hearing Review reports that this rule has also kept manufacturers from enabling certain built-in hearing assistance features in consumer earbuds for Ontario users, even when the features have federal approval.
The province is advancing the proposal through its Health Innovation Pathway. The source report says a 30-day public consultation began in April 2026 and that the government reported strong support for the change. The report does not provide a consultation response count or breakdown, so the scale and composition of that support cannot be independently assessed from the information available here.
The change is still a planned legislative update, not a rule already in force. The government expects to include it in the fall statement, which is due by Nov. 15, 2026. Until the new framework takes effect, the existing prescription requirement remains in place.
“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
Safeguards and Device Access Still Pending
The proposal’s final legislative language, commencement date and consumer protections have not been detailed in the supplied reporting. It is also unclear whether Ontario will require particular warnings, screening steps or referral guidance for OTC buyers.
Apple’s features may become available after the provincial framework changes, but the government has not confirmed a launch date or outlined the regulatory steps for specific devices. The source report describes activation as a potential result of the change, not as a completed or guaranteed rollout.
There is also a safety concern raised by hearing-care professionals: hearing difficulty can have causes that need medical assessment. The Ontario Association of Professional Audiology says symptoms could reflect conditions such as wax buildup or more serious illness. The final rules will need to clarify how consumers are directed to care when symptoms fall outside the intended OTC-use group.
Fall Statement Sets the Next Milestone
The next expected milestone is Ontario’s 2026 Fall Economic Statement, due on or before Nov. 15. The government is expected to formalize the legislative changes there, but the source material does not specify when the rules would take effect after the statement.
Once the text is available, the details to watch include which adults and devices qualify, what consumer protections apply, and whether the Assistive Devices Program remains limited to prescribed hearing aids as currently described. Any AirPods Pro feature availability in Ontario would depend on the rules taking effect and on the relevant device and software arrangements.
Key Questions
What has Ontario announced?
Ontario says it will pursue legislative changes allowing the sale and use of Health Canada-approved OTC hearing aids without a prescription. The change is planned for the 2026 Fall Economic Statement.
Who would be able to use over-the-counter hearing aids?
The proposal is described as applying to adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. The final eligibility rules have not yet been published, and regulators say OTC devices are not appropriate for everyone.
Will Ontario’s Assistive Devices Program cover OTC hearing aids?
The province says the proposal will not affect the existing program. The source report says the program currently helps pay for prescribed hearing aids, covering up to 75% of the bill to a maximum of $500 per aid, and does not cover future non-prescription devices.
Could AirPods Pro hearing features become available in Ontario?
They could, according to The Hearing Review, because the provincial prescription rule has prevented activation of Apple’s federally approved hearing aid and hearing test features. No activation date has been confirmed, and the change must first be legislated and take effect.
When would the new rules take effect?
The government expects to include the legislative changes in the 2026 Fall Economic Statement, due on or before Nov. 15, 2026. The supplied reporting does not give a separate effective date.
Source: rss
