Here’s how hot rental units are allowed to be next summer in Toronto

In the midst of a heatwave affecting most of southern Ontario, Toronto city staff are working on a bylaw that could help renters who are feeling the heat.

At the most recent City Council meeting, Council greenlit a maximum temperature bylaw that would dictate how hot a rental unit is allowed to be.

If approved, the bylaw would enforce a maximum indoor temperature of 26 degrees Celsius for rental homes in Toronto.

However, it won’t come until next summer at the earliest — Council has directed the City Manager to report back by June 2027 with the drafted by-law, along with an implementation plan, for Council approval.

“Extreme heat and its impacts on human health is one of the City of Toronto’s most urgent climate hazards, now and for the future,” wrote Sean McGowan, Executive Director of Municipal Licensing and Standards, in a report to council in June.

“Excessive indoor temperatures are of particular concern for tenants in leased residential premises without cooling equipment like air conditioning or heat pumps.”

The bylaw has been a long time coming, as the idea of implementing a maximum temperature bylaw in Toronto has been floated multiple times since 2012.

While the bylaw has seen support from various councillors and advocacy groups for low-income residents like ACORN, it has also seen some pushback from landlord groups, citing concerns about the cost to make sure their units are in accordance with the bylaw.

Staff is expected to report back with the drafted bylaw by next June.

High temperatures, like the ones accompanying the current heat wave affecting Ontario, may have accelerated the need for a maximum temperature bylaw to protect tenants from the heat.

Certain groups of people are particularly at risk for heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke, including older adults, infants and young children, people with mobility issues, and people with chronic illnesses (e.g., breathing problems, heart problems, or certain mental health conditions).

As of Thursday, Environment Canada has scores of heat warnings posted for most of Ontario and Quebec, and now stretching across to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Daytime temperatures in Ontario — from Windsor to Ottawa and Thunder Bay through Timmins and southern James Bay — have been in the mid-30s, with the humidex making it feel even hotter.

A brief respite from the heat is expected with forecasts calling for cooler evenings of around 20 degrees Celsius this weekend, but temperatures will soar again on Saturday, hitting a possible high of 29 degrees Celsius.

With files from Karen Longwell and The Canadian Press