TanklessNews.ca reports on the rules, programs and products that affect tankless (instantaneous) water heater work in Canada. We cover gas-fired units mainly, because that is where codes, venting and rebates change most, and we mention electric tankless where a story touches it. Each article states its source date, links the source, and separates reporting from analysis.
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What Canada's federal efficiency rules require of gas tankless water heaters
Under the Energy Efficiency Regulations, 2016, household gas tankless heaters made since January 1, 2020 must reach 0.86 UEF below 6.4 L/min maximum flow and 0.87 UEF at 6.4 L/min or more. Commercial units made since July 1, 2023 need at least 94% thermal efficiency. This explainer sets out the definitions and what they mean for sales.
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Reusing plastic vents on a tankless replacement: what Ontario and BC regulators have said
Both TSSA in Ontario and Technical Safety BC require plastic gas vents to be certified to ULC S636, and both treat an appliance replacement as the moment an old vent must be replaced, with a narrow, test-based exception. This explainer summarises their published guidance and how it affects tankless quotes.
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SaskEnergy's revised rebate terms keep $1,000 for tankless water heaters
SaskEnergy's Residential Equipment Replacement Rebate Program has new terms effective August 17, 2026. Tankless water heaters rated at 0.87 UEF or higher still earn $1,000 each, provided a TSASK-licensed gas contractor installs them and the paperwork arrives within 120 days.
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Rinnai says it leads Canadian tankless sales and announces a new warehouse and Ontario training unit
In a release dated July 20, 2026, Rinnai America said a BRG Building Solutions report ranked it first in Canada's residential gas tankless condensing water heater category. The release also announced a new Canadian warehouse and an Ontario-based mobile training unit.
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Rinnai and Navien set out their water heating plans ahead of AHR Expo 2026
Ahead of AHR Expo 2026 in Las Vegas, February 2 to 4, Rinnai (January 29) highlighted its SENSEI RX tankless series at up to 0.98 UEF, and Navien (January 26) promised a preview of an unnamed hybrid water heating product. Neither release announced a new Canadian tankless model.
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Manitoba adopts the 2025 CSA B149 gas codes, with full compliance required from June 1, 2026
A January 2026 gas bulletin from Manitoba's Inspection and Technical Services says the 2025 editions of the CSA B149 series take effect on March 1, 2026, adopted in full with no provincial amendments. Gas installations, service work and field approvals done on or after June 1, 2026 must comply.
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Health Canada recalls Vesta VRS and VRP tankless water heaters over cracked exhaust ducts
On October 16, 2025, Health Canada, the U.S. CPSC and VESTA.DS announced a joint recall of Vesta VRS and VRP tankless water heaters because the exhaust duct can crack and let carbon monoxide escape. About 3,496 units were sold in Canada between May 2017 and July 2025.
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U.S. Department of Energy withdraws its 2024 efficiency standard for gas tankless water heaters
The U.S. Department of Energy published a notice on May 20, 2025 withdrawing its December 2024 final rule for consumer gas-fired instantaneous water heaters, after a joint resolution of disapproval was signed on May 9, 2025. The rule, which would have applied from December 2029, has no force or effect.
How the newsroom works
The short answer: primary sources only, real dates, and analysis that is labelled as analysis.
Our sources are government recall notices, federal and provincial regulators, utility program pages, the Federal Register, and manufacturers' own announcements. We don't rewrite other outlets' coverage. If we can't confirm a figure from a page we loaded, we leave it out.
Every article has two parts. The first summarises the source in our own words. The second, marked "analysis", explains what the item means for an installer's quoting, sales conversations or marketing. That second part is opinion, written by a marketing firm, not a regulator.
The publisher is a marketing and business consulting firm for heating companies, not a contractor, and nothing here is installation, code or legal advice.
Launch coverage
The short answer: eight pieces, six news stories and two reference explainers.
Recalls and safety
- Health Canada recalls Vesta VRS and VRP tankless heaters over exhaust ducts that can crack and leak carbon monoxide (October 16, 2025).
- Plastic vent rules when a gas water heater is replaced, an explainer on TSSA and Technical Safety BC guidance and ULC S636.
Codes and standards
- Manitoba adopts the 2025 CSA B149 gas codes in full, with all gas work to comply from June 1, 2026 (January 2026).
- The U.S. Department of Energy withdraws its gas tankless standard after a Congressional Review Act vote (May 20, 2025).
- Canada's minimum efficiency rules for gas tankless heaters, a reference explainer on the federal UEF and thermal efficiency floors.
Rebates
- SaskEnergy keeps its $1,000 tankless rebate in revised terms effective August 17, 2026.
Manufacturers
- Rinnai and Navien set out their plans before AHR Expo 2026 (January 26 and 29, 2026).
- Rinnai claims the top Canadian tankless sales position and announces a Canadian warehouse and an Ontario training unit (July 20, 2026).
What we don't cover
The short answer: tank and heat pump water heaters, rentals, and anything we can't source.
Storage tanks, heat pump water heaters and Ontario's rental market are covered in depth by our sister newsroom, WaterHeaterNews.ca, so we leave those to it. We also skip rumours, unconfirmed product leaks and stories that rely on a single secondary report.
Dates, corrections and updates
The short answer: the published date is the source's date; the updated date is when we last checked.
Rebates and codes move. Each article shows the date of the underlying source and the date we last reviewed it. When a program changes, we add a dated note rather than silently rewriting the story. If you spot something out of date, tell us and we'll check it.
How to use this newsroom
The short answer: read the story, check the source, then check your own pages.
Each story is short enough to read between jobs. If an item affects you, open the linked source and read the original; our summary is a starting point, not a substitute. Then look at your website, quotes and ads for anything that now needs a date, a correction or removal. If a story raises a question we didn't answer, tell us; follow-up questions often become the next explainer.
Where the marketing advice lives
The short answer: on the services and areas pages, not in the news.
We keep sales advice out of news reporting except in the labelled analysis sections. If you want to act on a story, the services overview explains how we help installers with local search, ads, maintenance plans and accurate rebate content, and the areas hub sets out what differs province by province. The FAQ answers the usual questions about working with us.
Frequently asked questions
How do you choose stories?
We look for items that change what a Canadian tankless installer can sell, say or install: recalls, rebate terms, gas code adoptions, federal efficiency rules and manufacturer announcements from their own pages.
Why are some items labelled as explainers?
When the underlying rule hasn't changed recently, we don't dress it up as news. Those pieces are marked as reference articles and dated on the day we checked the source.
Do you accept press releases or paid placements?
We don't publish paid placements. A manufacturer release can be a source, but we report it as the company's claim and check what we can against official pages.
How do I report an error?
Call, text or email with the story link and the correction. We usually reply within one business day, and corrections are dated on the page.