Go Ad Free

Vancouver homeowners are bracing for new restrictions on fireplaces and wood stoves under the city’s Residential Indoor Wood-Burning Bylaw, a policy that could easily become an outright ban on traditional home heating.

The bylaw requires residents to register their wood-burning appliances and comply with strict emissions standards. City officials insist the rules are about tracking emissions, not banning fireplaces. But examples elsewhere suggest registration is often the first step toward prohibition.

Montreal has already gone down that path. Since October 2018, the city has banned all wood-burning fireplaces and stoves that emit more than 2.5 grams of fine particles per hour. Even compliant units must remain cold during smog warnings. Fines for non-compliance start at $500.

Colorado offers another cautionary tale. In the Denver–Boulder metro area, families face “Air Quality Action Days,” known locally as “red alert days,” every winter from November through March. On those days, wood burning is banned unless residents use EPA- or Colorado Phase III-certified devices. Homeowners caught burning wood face fines beginning at $150.

Meanwhile, Utrecht in the Netherlands has announced an even more sweeping ban. Beginning in January 2025, new homes in the city will not be permitted to install chimney flues, and even outdoor fire pits will be outlawed. By 2030, the city plans to prohibit all wood-burning fireplaces and stoves outright as part of a wider air quality initiative.

These bizarre measures leave homeowners with fewer and fewer options for affordable heating. With natural gas already driven up in price through carbon taxes, surcharges, and scarcity measures, fireplaces are often the last fallback for families.

First, they register, then they restrict, then they confiscate. Sign the petition below if you're with us. 

The Petition