5.1 Technical Standards and Safety Act & O. Reg. 215/01 Certification
Key Takeaways
Under the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000, TSSA inspectors may enter premises at any reasonable time (a dwelling only with the owner's or occupier's consent), require records, issue written inspection orders, and seal unsafe equipment (sections 17, 18 and 21).
Under section 37 of the TSS Act, an individual convicted of an offence faces a fine of up to $50,000, up to one year in prison, or both; a corporation faces a fine of up to $1,000,000.
O. Reg. 215/01 s. 22(1) lets a G.3 holder work under the general supervision of a G.1, G.2 or DA holder, after documented sign-off, on four tasks: piping under 2-1/2 in. downstream of the meter, reactivation, cleaning and lubricating, and venting work.
A G.3 holder may never perform the initial activation of a new or newly converted appliance (s. 22(2)); any other task in the supervisor's scope requires direct supervision, meaning the supervisor is on site in close proximity (s. 22(4)).
TSSA certificates run on a two-year cycle (expiring on the second anniversary of the holder's birth date after issue); the certificate fee is $136 from May 1, 2026, and renewing one year or more after expiry is treated as a new application.
Ontario regulates gas work through one statute and several regulations. The Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000 (TSS Act) creates the enforcement framework, and Ontario Regulation 215/01 (Fuel Industry Certificates) decides who may do which fuel work. A G.3 candidate has to know both: the exam tests the inspector's powers, the penalties, and—above all—the exact limits of the G.3 certificate.
1. The Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000
The TSS Act's stated purpose is to enhance public safety in Ontario through the efficient administration of technical standards (s. 1). It applies to amusement devices, boilers and pressure vessels, elevating devices, fuels, and operating engineers (s. 2). Day-to-day administration is delegated to the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA), a not-for-profit administrative authority, which runs the Fuels Safety program, certification exams, contractor registration, and inspections.
Directors, inspectors and orders
| TSS Act section | What it does |
|---|---|
| s. 4 | TSSA (the "Corporation") appoints directors, inspectors, investigators and assessors |
| s. 5 | A director has general supervisory and administrative responsibility for the parts of the Act and regulations assigned to them |
| s. 14 | A director may issue safety orders |
| s. 17 | An inspector may enter and inspect premises at any reasonable time—but may not use force, and may not enter a part of premises used as a dwelling without the owner's or occupier's consent |
| s. 18 | During an inspection the inspector may examine relevant records and things, require them to be produced, and remove them on giving a receipt; things may be sealed under s. 29 |
| s. 19 | Everyone must give the inspector the means needed to carry out the inspection |
| s. 20 | No one may hinder or obstruct an inspector, refuse to answer relevant questions, give false information, conceal records, operate a sealed thing, or remove an inspector's seal without consent |
| s. 21 | An inspector who finds a contravention or an unsafe thing may serve a written order directing compliance (forthwith or within a set time) and may seal a thing that is or may be a demonstrable threat to public safety |
| s. 37 | Offences and penalties |
Offences and penalties (s. 37)
Under s. 37(1) a person commits an offence by contravening the Act, a regulation, a Minister's order or an alternate rule; by knowingly making a false statement; by breaching the terms of an authorization; or by failing to comply with an order of a director, inspector or assessor or obstructing an inspector.
- Individuals: a fine of not more than $50,000, imprisonment for not more than one year, or both (s. 37(1.1)(a)).
- Corporations: a fine of not more than $1,000,000 (s. 37(1.1)(b)).
- Directors and officers of a corporation: each has a duty to take all reasonable care to prevent the corporation from committing an offence; failing to do so is itself an offence carrying the same individual maximums (s. 37(2)–(3)).
Important
These are provincial offences prosecuted under the TSS Act. A G.3 who performs work outside the certificate's scope contravenes O. Reg. 215/01 and is exposed to these penalties—as is the contractor who sent them.
2. Ontario Regulation 215/01: Fuel Industry Certificates
O. Reg. 215/01 lists the fuel certificates (G.1, G.2, G.3, GP, LP, ICE, ICE-IE, DA, RV.1, RV.2, IMT, GPI, oil burner, propane plant, construction heater, hydrogen and gas utility certificates, among others) and sets each certificate's scope. To qualify, an applicant must complete a director-approved program delivered by an accredited training provider and pass the director's examination(s), unless the director accepts equivalent knowledge and competence (s. 5).
Gas certificate scopes
| Certificate | Scope under O. Reg. 215/01 |
|---|---|
| G.1 (s. 20) | Install, inspect, alter, purge, activate, repair, service or remove a natural gas or propane appliance of any Btu input, plus the piping, venting and accessories essential to its operation |
| G.2 (s. 21) | The same functions on appliances with an input of 400,000 Btu/h or less; may perform any G.1-scope function under the direct supervision of a G.1 holder |
| G.3 (s. 22) | Limited functions under general supervision of a G.1, G.2 or DA holder, and any function in the supervisor's scope under direct supervision (details below) |
| GP (s. 29) | Gas piping fitter: install, repair, alter, purge, test, service or remove vapour-phase gas piping and tubing; may connect piping to appliances and install venting, but does not activate or service appliances |
| DA (s. 31) | Domestic appliance technician: unvented residential appliances and vented refrigerators with an input of 100,000 Btu/h or less (not construction heaters), and the piping to them |
| LP (s. 26) | Liquid propane fitter: liquid propane piping and tubing systems and their components |
The path upward
- A G.2 (or DA) applicant must hold a G.3 certificate or a valid operating engineer certificate (s. 7). Under the TSSA Gas Technician/Oil Burner Technician Policies and Procedures (updated September 2025), the candidate must also have completed an accredited G.3 program or have at least 450 hours of documented work under the G.3 certificate with appropriate supervision.
- A G.1 candidate needs a valid G.2, the G.1 training modules and exam, and two years (4,000 hours) of documented experience as a G.2, of which at least 500 hours are on systems over 400,000 Btu/h under the direct supervision of a G.1 holder.
3. The G.3 Scope in Detail (O. Reg. 215/01 s. 22)
The regulation defines two kinds of supervision (s. 1):
- Direct supervision: the supervising certificate holder is on site, in close proximity to the trainee, and available to assist and supervise.
- General supervision: the supervising certificate holder may or may not be on site but is readily available to assist.
What a G.3 may do under general supervision — s. 22(1)
Under the general supervision of a G.1, G.2 or DA holder, and only within the supervisor's own scope, a G.3 holder may carry out these functions on a natural gas or propane appliance—but only after demonstrating the essential skills and having that experience documented and signed off by the supervising certificate holder on the form the director publishes:
- Install, test, activate or purge gas piping or tubing less than 2-1/2 inches in diameter, or a component in such a system, downstream of the natural gas meter or propane service valve up to the appliance control valve, including completing the pressure test tag.
- Reactivate a previously installed or converted appliance.
- Clean and lubricate an appliance.
- Clean, remove or replace a vent connector, venting or a draft control device.
What a G.3 may never do — s. 22(2)
A G.3 holder shall not perform the initial activation of a new appliance or a newly converted appliance. That first start-up belongs to the supervising G.1, G.2 or DA holder.
Everything else — s. 22(4)
Under direct supervision of a G.1, G.2 or DA holder, a G.3 may carry out any function that falls within the supervising holder's scope (subject to s. 22(2)).
| Task | Allowed for a G.3? |
|---|---|
| Install a 3/4 in. branch line to a water heater and complete the pressure test tag (skill signed off) | Yes, under general supervision — s. 22(1)1 |
| Relight and reactivate an existing furnace after a no-heat call | Yes, under general supervision — s. 22(1)2 |
| Replace a corroded vent connector on an existing boiler | Yes, under general supervision — s. 22(1)4 |
| Replace a furnace combination gas valve | Only under direct supervision — s. 22(4) |
| Install 3 in. steel piping to a commercial boiler | Only under direct supervision (it is not under 2-1/2 in.) — s. 22(4) |
| First start-up of a newly installed furnace | No — s. 22(2) |
Warning
"General supervision" still requires a supervisor who is readily available and whose own certificate covers the work. A G.3 cannot borrow scope that the supervisor does not have—for example, a DA supervisor cannot extend a G.3 into furnace work.
4. How the G.3 Certification Exam Works
The TSSA Certification Examination Preparation Guide and the Gas Technician/Oil Burner Technician Policies and Procedures set the logistics:
| Item | Official rule |
|---|---|
| Training | Accredited program covering G.3 modules 1–9 (suggested 180 program hours); at least 75% on each module, 75% on the TSSA exam, 75% on practical evaluations, and at least 80% attendance |
| Challenge route | A person who has never held a certificate may challenge the G.3 exam, then complete a TSSA practical assessment within one year |
| Format | Multiple choice; TSSA exams typically range from 50 to 165 questions depending on certificate type (no fixed G.3 count is published) |
| Time | Up to 3.5 hours depending on examination type |
| Pass mark | 75% for the Fuels program |
| References | Gas Technician 2 and 3: TSS Act, all Fuels regulations and Code Adoption Documents, CSA B149.1, CSA B149.2 (optional B149.2S1). Books must be unmarked except for page/section dividers and highlighting |
| If unsuccessful | A mastery report breaks results down by module; Fuels candidates may re-write after 30 days; multiple-choice exams are not re-assessed |
| Fees (Natural Gas & Hydrogen Fee Schedule v1.11) | Other examination $89 and challenge examination $255.50 from May 1, 2026 ($87 / $249.50 before); certificate initial or renewal $136 per two years |
5. Certificate Administration
- Applications and renewals use TSSA's published form and fee (s. 3(3)).
- Term: TSSA's policy states that a certificate expires on the second anniversary of the holder's date of birth after it is issued, so certificates run on a two-year cycle.
- Expiry and renewal (s. 4): no work may be done after expiry; a renewal may be applied for before expiry or within one year after it, with any upgrading course the director specifies; an application made one year or more after expiry is treated as a new application. TSSA's reinstatement assessment may then require a theory exam, a practical assessment, or both.
- No transfer: a certificate is not transferable (s. 17).
- Change of address: notify the director within 30 days (s. 19).
- Late fee: the fee schedule adds a $50 late payment fee on certificate renewals.
Summary: Gas Certificates at a Glance
| Certificate | Input limit | Works without supervision? | Can supervise a G.3? |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.1 | Any input | Yes | Yes |
| G.2 | 400,000 Btu/h or less | Yes, within scope | Yes |
| DA | Unvented residential appliances and vented refrigerators, 100,000 Btu/h or less | Yes, within scope | Yes, within DA scope |
| G.3 | Supervisor's scope | Only the s. 22(1) tasks under general supervision; everything else under direct supervision | No |
Under section 37 of the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000, what is the maximum penalty for an individual technician convicted of an offence?
A fine not exceeding $10,000 and 3 months of community service
A fine not exceeding $50,000, imprisonment for up to 1 year, or both
A flat administrative fine of $25,000 with mandatory loss of trade tools
Imprisonment for up to 5 years with no fine
A G.3 holder whose skills have been signed off is sent alone to a house; the supervising G.2 is reachable by phone. Which task is within the G.3 holder's scope under general supervision (O. Reg. 215/01 s. 22(1))?
Installing and starting up a new replacement furnace for the first time
Replacing the existing furnace's combination gas valve
Installing 3-inch steel piping to a new commercial boiler
Reactivating the previously installed furnace after the gas was turned back on
How long does an Ontario fuel industry certificate run, and what is the TSSA certificate fee from May 1, 2026?
Two years, with a $136 fee
One year, with a $75 fee
Three years, with a $250 fee
Five years, with no fee if 40 hours of work logs are submitted
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.