Recent reports show that residents of Quebec and many other Canadians still lack access to over-the-counter hearing aids. This includes the new hearing aid features for AirPods, which Health Canada officially approved in December 2024. Despite this federal approval, the technology remains unavailable because several provincial laws still require a doctor's prescription for any hearing device.

In the United States, the FDA created a specific legal category that allows these devices to be sold over the counter, but Health Canada has not introduced a similar nationwide rule. While Apple Canada says it is working with provincial governments to make these features available in the future, some Canadian audiologists are wary. They argue that stricter federal regulations are needed to ensure the devices are used safely and effectively.