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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 2026 Fall Economic Statement; the rules are not yet in force, and details of consumer safeguards remain unclear.
Ontario’s government says it will pursue legislative changes allowing adults to buy Health Canada-approved over-the-counter hearing aids without a prescription, a move that could widen access to hearing support and eventually permit certain consumer-device hearing features in the province. The proposal is expected to be included in the 2026 Fall Economic Statement, but the existing prescription requirement remains in place until the changes take effect.
Under current Ontario law, hearing aids can be sold only with a prescription from a physician or audiologist. The proposed change would allow adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss to purchase approved OTC devices without first obtaining one. The province announced the plan Tuesday and said it is advancing the work through its Health Innovation Pathway. The source report says a 30-day public consultation began in April 2026 and found overwhelming support, but does not provide a detailed breakdown of responses.
The government says the proposal is intended to add another route to hearing support, not replace the prescription system. Ontario’s Assistive Devices Program will remain in place, and the province says the proposed change will not alter its funding. The program currently covers up to 75% of the cost of prescribed hearing aids, to a maximum of $500 per aid; the report says it does not cover future non-prescription OTC devices.
The change could also affect Apple’s AirPods Pro hearing features. Health Canada approved Apple’s Hearing Aid Feature and Hearing Test Feature in 2025, according to the report, but the features are not active for Ontario users under the current provincial rules. If Ontario’s law changes and the features meet applicable requirements, AirPods Pro 2 and 3 owners could be able to use them for perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. That activation is a potential outcome, not a feature launch date confirmed by Apple or the province.
A New Route to Hearing Support
Removing the prescription requirement could reduce an access barrier for adults seeking support for mild to moderate hearing loss. It may also create more options for people who face cost, time or other obstacles to arranging an appointment before obtaining a device. The provincial government has framed the plan as a way to give Ontarians more choice, while the practical effect will depend on the legislation, its safeguards and the range and price of devices available.
The proposal has implications beyond traditional hearing-aid manufacturers. Ontario’s current rule has prevented consumer-device makers from enabling some hearing assistance features locally, despite federal approval for Apple’s features. A change could bring those functions within reach for eligible adults, although the province has not announced how the final framework will apply to specific products.
The plan would not remove the role of audiologists and physicians or make OTC devices suitable for everyone. Professional groups say expanded access should be paired with clear guidance about symptoms that need clinical assessment. That distinction matters: the policy would broaden access to devices, not establish that self-assessment can identify the cause of hearing problems.
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How Ontario’s Rules Could Change
Ontario currently requires a physician or audiologist’s prescription for hearing-aid sales. The province’s planned legislative change would remove that barrier for Health Canada-approved OTC hearing aids, while leaving the prescription pathway and its existing public funding support intact. The source report says the initiative is proceeding through the government’s Health Innovation Pathway, which it describes as a route for health innovation.
Federal approval and provincial rules are separate parts of the picture. Health Canada approved Apple’s hearing-aid and hearing-test features in 2025, according to The Hearing Review, but Ontario’s prescription requirement has kept them inactive there. The report says AirPods Pro hearing-aid capabilities are already in use in more than 100 countries; Ontario’s proposed change could remove a local regulatory barrier, but does not itself confirm that Apple will activate the features or when.
The government’s announcement follows a public consultation launched in April 2026. The proposal is expected to appear in the fall economic update, which the source says is due by Nov. 15. Until a legal change is adopted and takes effect, the existing rules continue to apply.
“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 proposal has not yet become law, and the report does not specify the bill’s wording, when any enacted provisions would take effect, or which consumer protections will be included. The final rules for device eligibility, sales and consumer information are not described in the announcement material provided.
It is also unclear whether or when Apple will enable its AirPods Pro hearing features in Ontario. The report links a possible activation to changes in provincial law, but neither a product rollout date nor a specific commitment from Apple is provided. The report also does not include the consultation results in numerical detail, so the level and distribution of public support cannot be independently assessed from the material supplied.
Fall Statement Sets the Timeline
The next stated milestone is Ontario’s 2026 Fall Economic Statement, expected on or before Nov. 15, when the legislative changes are expected to be formalized. Readers will need to see the proposed text and any later regulations to know how eligibility, safeguards and implementation will work.
Until those steps are completed, Ontario’s prescription rule remains in effect. The government has not provided a confirmed start date for OTC sales or for activation of hearing assistance features on consumer devices. Professional groups are calling for clear public guidance so adults can distinguish situations that may be appropriate for OTC use from symptoms that should be assessed by a regulated hearing-care professional.
Key Questions
Can Ontarians buy hearing aids over the counter now?
Not under the announced proposal yet. The current prescription requirement remains in force until Ontario completes and implements its legislative changes.
Who would be eligible to use OTC hearing aids?
The proposal is described as covering adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss using Health Canada-approved devices. The detailed eligibility rules have not been provided.
Will Ontario’s Assistive Devices Program stop covering hearing aids?
No change to the program was announced. Ontario says the proposal will not affect its funding; the report says the program currently covers up to 75% of prescribed hearing-aid costs, to a maximum of $500 per aid.
Will AirPods Pro work as hearing aids in Ontario?
That is a possible consequence, not a confirmed rollout. Health Canada approved Apple’s hearing features in 2025, but Ontario’s current rules have kept them inactive. The province has not announced an activation date, and Apple’s plans are not confirmed in the source material.
Should everyone with hearing concerns use an OTC device?
No. Ontario’s audiology organizations caution that OTC devices are not suitable for everyone, including children and people with symptoms or underlying conditions that require professional assessment. The proposal is aimed at adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.
Source: hearingreview.com
