Canadian Hot Tub Industry Faces Installation Delays Under New Electrical Code Bonding Rule

A new bonding requirement in the 2024 Canadian Electrical Code has created significant installation challenges for hot tub retailers and manufacturers across Canada, prompting industry leaders to seek clarification and regulatory adjustments.

The rule, which some provinces are interpreting as applying to factory-built, Canadian Standards Association-certified factory-built, self-contained hot tubs, has effectively stalled installations and caused economic disruption throughout the sector. The affected products are already certified to CSA C22.2 No. 218.1, a standard that includes full internal bonding, GFCI protection and leakage-current safeguards.

Ark Tsisserev, principal of AES Engineering and former chair of the Canadian Electrical Code Technical Committee, submitted a formal proposal to CSA and related subcommittees to revise Rule 68-402 of the CE Code, Part I. The guidance states that additional site bonding is not warranted for CSA-certified factory-built, self-contained hot tubs.

As of Dec. 1, Tsisserev has submitted a formal proposal to the CEC Section 68 Subcommittee requesting removal of the bonding requirement for CSA-certified factory-built self-contained hot tubs, as CSA C22.2 No. 218.1 standard already addresses internal protective and equipotential bonding of all non-current-carrying metal components of a hot tub, and leakage current protection through Clauses 4.1.2, 4.8, and 4.9. The proposal is under review by national CSA project managers and CEC Section 68 subcommittee regulators.

In the meantime, most provinces are enforcing the current rule, contributing to ongoing delays. However, in April 2025, the province of Alberta issued an interpretation confirming the new bonding rule does not apply to above-ground, factory-built, self-contained hot tubs that use a nonconductive shell. These conflicting provincial interpretations have added to the uncertainty across Canada.

Manufacturers are encouraged to conduct assessments of the rule’s impact and participate in broader industry efforts. They should also engage directly with CSA so the committees have full industry input as they review the conflict between the installation code and the product safety standard.

Industry stakeholders, including JT Sidhu, chief operating officer of Beachcomber Hot Tubs and vice chair of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance/International Hot Tub Association, have been coordinating with Tsisserev, CSA, provincial electrical authorities and technical experts to provide clarity on behalf of industry manufacturers, retailers and homeowners. Sidhu has been working directly with Tsisserev and national regulators to ensure the concerns raised by the industry are fully represented during the pending CEC review process.