Votatec, a Canadian wholesale supplier of commercial LED lighting, has launched a new line of Energy Star certified LED troffers and flat panels built to replace T8 and T12 fluorescent fixtures phased out under Canada's federal lamp ban. The ban, enforced by Environment and Climate Change Canada under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, took effect January 1, 2026 and prohibits manufacture and import of most 4-foot and 8-foot linear fluorescent tubes. Existing retailer stock can be sold until the end of 2029, but no new fluorescent tubes can enter the Canadian market.

The new Votatec line covers 2x2 and 2x4 troffers in three wattages each, plus edge-lit flat panels for slim drop-ceiling profiles. All fixtures carry DLC 6.0 Premium listing at 130+ lumens per watt, qualify for Save on Energy and provincial utility rebates, and ship with selectable CCT (3500K, 4000K, 5000K) and selectable wattage on a single SKU. That cuts SKU count for distributors and gives contractors flexibility on retrofit specs without ordering separate units.

Federal procurement and provincial school boards are the most affected segments. Government buildings, K-12 schools, college campuses, and hospitals built before 2010 commonly run thousands of T8 fluorescent fixtures. Facility managers now face two choices: replace tubes one-for-one with LED retrofit lamps (UL Type A or Type B) until existing stock runs out, or upgrade entire fixtures to native LED troffers and panels. Native fixture upgrades qualify for higher Save on Energy rebates, hit DLC Premium efficacy, and deliver longer life with no ballast to fail.
https://votatec.ca/

The Votatec line ships from the company's Canadian warehouse with stock on hand for projects starting in Q2 2026. Save on Energy Instant Discounts of up to $14 per LED troffer apply at point of sale through participating Ontario distributors. BC Hydro, Hydro-Québec, and SaskPower run similar programs that accept the new Votatec SKUs. Small business customers with 50 or fewer employees can stack up to $3K in additional lighting upgrade incentives in Ontario.


Spec sheets, IES files, DLC and Energy Star listing IDs, and Save on Energy rebate paperwork are at votatec.ca. Project quotes and volume pricing for orders of 50 fixtures or more are handled directly by the Votatec sales team.

About Votatec
Votatec is a Canadian wholesale supplier of LED lighting fixtures and lamps for commercial, industrial, and government projects. The company stocks DLC and Energy Star certified products from its Canadian warehouse and ships across Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, and the rest of Canada. Votatec serves electrical contractors, facility managers, distributors, and procurement officers with B2B wholesale pricing and volume discounts.