A carbon monoxide alarm law is needed, Ottawa told

Third major poisoning in B.C. this month prompts calls for action

VANCOUVER— When paramedics responded to a person who collapsed at a Kitsilano office in early December, 13 people ended up hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning. A day later, a family of five was airlifted into Vancouver from Barriere, B.C., after being poisoned by the deadly gas in their own home.

The most recent case was on Boxing Day, when Abbotsford police responded to a single-vehicle collision and found a mother and her two children unresponsive — and suffering from exposure to the lethal gas. The three remain in critical condition, according to Sgt. Judy Bird.

“There are no quick answers,” she said.

With more than 20 British Columbians affected this month, experts are renewing calls for federal laws to place carbon monoxide detectors in every home.

The colourless, odourless and lethal gas is found in anything powered by fossil fuels, said Jonathan Gormick, Vancouver Fire & Rescue Services’ public information officer.

“People are turning on a lot of fuel-powered appliances that may not get used in summer,” he said. “All you need is somewhere enclosed to trap the gas.”

Symptoms of overexposure include headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting. These may lead to a loss of consciousness and even death, he added.

John Gignac, a retired Ontario firefighter who lost four family members to the lethal gas, would like carbon monoxide alarms made mandatory for all Canadians.

He and fellow advocates were instrumental in the passing of Ontario’s Bill 77 (the HawkinsGignac Act) in 2014, which made the alarms mandatory in homes with fuel-burning appliances or heating systems, fireplaces, or attached garage .

Yukon has a similar law, but no other provinces or territories have made the detectors mandatory. Last year, Vancouver amended their fire bylaw to require all residences to have a carbon monoxide alarm,.

“There was no reason not to have carbon monoxide alarms. They’re inexpensive, they’re not obtrusive. They’re really the only way someone would get alerted to the presence of carbon monoxide,” Gormick said.