Incandescent Bulbs in Canada for 2026: What's Still Legal to Buy
Standard incandescent bulbs are no longer a general-purpose option in Canada. The import and sale of 40W to 100W general service incandescent bulbs ended more than a decade ago, and Natural Resources Canada's Energy Efficiency Regulations now set a floor of 45 lumens per watt for general service lamps, which no filament can reach: a 60W A19 makes about 800 lumens, roughly 13 lm/W. What is still sold legally are the excluded types: rough service bulbs, appliance and oven lamps, small decorative shapes such as G25 globes at 40W or less, coloured and bug lamps, and infrared heat lamps. Shoppers still look for incandescent light for real reasons (a continuous spectrum that renders colour faithfully, instant full brightness, and smooth dimming on any ordinary dimmer), so this list covers the excluded bulbs that still deliver it alongside a warm 2700K LED that now stands in for the discontinued clear A19.
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Top Picks Summary
Feit Electric 40W A19 Clear Incandescent
Feit's 40W A19 Clear is the decorative-fixture pick, and the Canadian listing behind it is Feit's LED A19: 450 lumens, 2700K, dimmable, sold as a 40W equivalent in a 4-pack with a 15-year rated life. The clear envelope keeps the exposed look that suits vintage and open fixtures, and unlike the Philips pack it does dim. As a 40W-class light it is meant for accent, bedside and decorative use, not for lighting a whole room.
Estimated$20 – $25
Xtricity A19 Frosted Incandescent Rough Service Long Life 3,000 Hours (60W, 2700K, 6-Pack)
This is the one standard-shape A19 on the list that is still a true incandescent sold in Canada. Rough service lamps sit outside the general service lamp rules, so 60W filament bulbs in this form remain available when the general service A19 is not. The Amazon.ca listing is a 6-pack of frosted A19 rough service bulbs: 60W, 2700K, E26 medium base, 550 lumens, 130V. The frosted envelope diffuses the filament for even light in open fixtures, and the 130V rating trades some brightness for a longer life on household current.
Globe Electric 25W G25 Vanity Clear Incandescent
The G25 globe is the vanity and mirror pick: a globe of about 3.1 in on the same E26 base, sized for exposed bathroom bar fixtures where a standard A19 looks oversized. At 25W it is a low-output decorative lamp, gentle enough for mirror work without glare. The linked Amazon.ca listing is a 4-pack of 25W incandescent G25 globes in 2700K soft white, and G25 shapes at 40W or less sit outside Canada's general service lamp rules, so it is still a filament bulb. Check the brand and finish on the listing, since they may differ from this card's title.
Estimated$4 – $12
What Science and Guidance Say About Warm Incandescent Light
Basic lighting science explains why incandescent bulbs produce the warm, comfortable light many people prefer. Incandescent filaments emit a continuous spectrum that renders colors faithfully and provides immediate full brightness without warm-up. Research into human lighting needs shows that warmer light in the evening supports visual comfort and interferes less with circadian rhythms than cooler, blue-rich sources. At the same time, energy and environmental studies consistently find that incandescent bulbs use more electricity and produce more heat than modern LED and CFL alternatives — the gap that removed them from the general service market in Canada. For consumers, the trade-offs are clear: incandescent bulbs deliver superior warmth, colour quality and dimming behaviour for certain uses, while LEDs offer large energy savings for routine, long-duration lighting.
High color rendering: Incandescent light has a broad spectral output that yields excellent color rendering, which helps skin tones, fabrics, and paint colors appear natural.
Correlated color temperature (CCT): Typical incandescent CCTs around 2700 K create a warm amber glow that many people find relaxing in home settings.
Circadian effects: Studies of light and circadian biology indicate that lower blue content in warm light is less likely to suppress evening melatonin production, helping preserve sleep cues.
Instant full brightness and dimmability: Incandescent bulbs reach full output immediately and dim smoothly to near zero on any standard dimmer, with no flicker, minimum-load problem or compatibility list — unlike many LED A19s.
Energy trade-offs: A 60W incandescent A19 delivers about 800 lumens, roughly 13 lm/W, while a modern LED A19 reaches 80-100+ lm/W and draws 8-9W for the same output.
Regulatory status in Canada: Natural Resources Canada requires general service lamps to meet 45 lm/W — for general service incandescent and incandescent reflector lamps manufactured on or after January 1, 2026, and for other general service lamps from January 1, 2027. The exempt categories (rough service, appliance, three-way, decorative, coloured, infrared) are unaffected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you still buy incandescent light bulbs in Canada in 2026?
Not the standard ones. Canada banned the import and sale of 75W and 100W general service incandescent bulbs on January 1, 2014, and 40W and 60W on January 1, 2015. Natural Resources Canada's Energy Efficiency Regulations require every general service lamp to reach 45 lumens per watt, a bar no filament can clear, since a 60W incandescent A19 makes about 800 lumens, roughly 13 lm/W. The 45 lm/W rule applies to general service incandescent and incandescent reflector lamps manufactured on or after January 1, 2026, and to other general service lamps from January 1, 2027. Only the exempt categories are still legally sold.
Which incandescent bulbs are still legal to sell in Canada?
The types that fall outside the general service lamp definition. Natural Resources Canada lists appliance, bug, infrared, coloured, marine and traffic signal lamps among them, and small decorative shapes such as G25 globes are excluded at 40W or less. Rough service lamps are excluded in the regulation text too, which is why the A19 frosted rough service bulb on this list (60W, 2700K, E26 medium base, 550 lumens, 130V) is still sold. Three-way bulbs are not on the exclusion list. The 130V rating is why that bulb runs dimmer than a 120V bulb of the same wattage, and why it lasts longer.
Why do some bulbs on this page link to LED listings?
Because the clear 40W incandescent is no longer sold new in Canada. The Feit Electric 40W A19 Clear card links to Feit's LED A19: 450 lumens, 2700K, dimmable, sold as a 40W equivalent in a 4-pack. Treat it as a warm-white LED replacement for the clear A19 shape, not as a filament bulb.
Do incandescent bulbs dim better than LEDs?
Yes, and it is the main reason people still look for them. A filament dims smoothly to near zero on any standard dimmer, with no flicker, no minimum-load problem and no compatibility list to check. LED A19s vary: some are not dimmable at all, and dimmable ones need a compatible dimmer to avoid flicker or a limited low end.
Conclusion
In short: of the three picks here, the Xtricity 60W A19 Frosted Rough Service bulb is the true incandescent you can still buy in Canada for a standard fixture: a 130V, 2700K, E26 lamp rated at 550 lumens, sold as a 6-pack. The 25W G25 globe is a small decorative shape that stays outside the general service rules, sized for vanity bars. The Feit Electric 40W A19 Clear card links to Feit's dimmable 2700K LED, a replacement for the shape rather than a filament bulb. If you specifically need filament light, search by an excluded type, such as rough service, appliance or a small decorative globe, rather than by wattage.