Federal regulationCanada Gazette, Part IComment Period Closed
Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Made Under the Canada Labour Code (Sound Levels)
Sponsoring body: Employment and Social Development, Dept. of, Dept. of Indigenous Services, Dept. of Natural Resources, and Dept. of TransportIntroduced March 21, 2026Last checked August 25, 2026
Read the official text on gazette.gc.caOfficial version — Canada Gazette, Part I
What this regulation does
This regulation updates workplace noise exposure rules for federally regulated employers — covering sectors like transportation, banking, telecoms, postal services, and the federal public service — by lowering the maximum allowable noise limit to 85 dBA, requiring employers to set up formal hearing loss prevention programs, and mandating annual hearing tests for workers exposed to hazardous noise levels.
Plain-language summary by Legisail.
Business impact
Compliance
If you run a federally regulated business — think trucking company, airline, rail operator, marine shipper, oil and gas operation, bank, or telecom — and your workplace gets loud, these rules will cost you money and administrative time. About 3,658 private-sector employers and over 200,000 workers are affected, including more than 3,300 small businesses (under 100 employees). Your biggest new cost will be setting up and running an annual hearing loss prevention program, which includes paying for employee hearing tests (estimated at roughly $110 per worker per year) plus program administration (about $73 per worker per year) — totalling an estimated $186 million in present-value costs across the private sector over 10 years. You'll also need to buy updated CSA technical standards (roughly $115–$169 each), provide and train employees on proper hearing protection if noise exceeds 85 dBA, post warning signs at 85 dBA instead of the old 87 dBA threshold, and conduct formal hazard investigations when noise hits 82 dBA. On the upside, you no longer have to file a one-time written report to the Head of Compliance and Enforcement when you can't keep noise below limits without hearing protectors.
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Where this regulation is
Proposed
Comment period closed
Final publicationPending
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