Henry’s Law: Sask. strengthens carbon monoxide detection standards

The province officially announced all multi-family buildings in Sask. must have CO detectors with landlords given until November to act. Wayne Mantyka reports.

The Government of Saskatchewan is mandating all multi-unit residential buildings to have carbon monoxide alarms in every suite.

Introduced as Henry’s Law, the changes were implemented in light the death of Henry Losco, an 11-year-old Regina boy who was killed last December as the result of a carbon monoxide leak.

“The tragic death of Henry Losco highlighted the need to strengthen the existing regulations to ensure the safety of all Saskatchewan residents,” Government Relations Minister Eric Schmalz said in a news release Tuesday.

• Saskatchewan to announce carbon monoxide regulations following death of Regina child

“We wanted to act quickly, using existing regulatory authorities to strengthen regulations to protect against carbon monoxide exposure in residential buildings.”

• Delayed ignition, boiler explosion the cause of fatal Regina carbon monoxide leak, fire service says

Saskatchewan last amended its carbon monoxide regulations in 2022, bolstering them in response to an incident in Saskatoon in 2020.

The 2022 amendments required every residential building with sleeping quarters to have a smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm or a device which combined the two.

“Henry was the light of our lives, bright, joyful and deeply empathetic,” said Henry’s parents, Marina Hills and Sergio Losco in response to the announcement.

“While nothing can ease the pain of losing him, we are grateful to see meaningful action being taken to help protect other families and to honour Henry’s memory.”

Marina and Sergio had been working with both the provincial government and the Saskatchewan NDP in order to bring about regulatory changes to ensure that the incident which took Henry’s life will not be repeated.