Ontario to allow over-the-counter hearing aids, earbuds

Ontario plans to allow over-the-counter hearing aids for people with mild hearing loss, a change that would let earbud makers switch on built-in hearing aid features in devices sold in the province, Health Minister Sylvia Jones announced on Oct. 20, 2026.

Ontario law now bans the sale of a hearing aid unless it is prescribed by a doctor or audiologist, The Canadian Press reported. The government said the legislative change will be included in its fall economic update later this year, followed by regulatory changes.

Jones said the change will give Ontarians “more choice and flexibility to get the hearing support they need, when and where they need it.”

The move matters for consumer tech because Health Canada has already issued medical device licences for some wireless earbuds with built-in hearing aid capabilities. Once the Ontario rules change, manufacturers will be able to turn those features on for devices sold in the province, the government said.

Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 are the best-known example. Health Canada approved the earbuds’ hearing test and hearing aid features in December 2024, MobileSyrup reported, leaving provincial rules as the remaining obstacle. British Columbia was the first province to approve access to over-the-counter hearing aids, including AirPods, MobileSyrup reported in July.

The province said the new measure does not replace or affect existing hearing aid prescriptions or coverage. Ontario’s Assistive Devices Program covers up to 75 per cent of the cost of prescribed hearing aids, the government said when it first floated the idea in April, according to CP24.

That spring proposal went through a public consultation from April 28 to May 28 before the government confirmed this week that it would go ahead.

The province has not said when the new rules will take effect. Until the law and regulations change, the current rule requiring a prescription remains in place.

Our earlier coverage explained how the AirPods Pro hearing aid feature works. For shoppers weighing Apple’s over-ear option, our AirPods Max 2 buying guide covers Canadian pricing and specs.

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