As climate change fuels hotter summers and more extreme heat events, Toronto is taking steps to protect tenants in apartments without air conditioning. The city’s planning and housing committee approved a staff report on Thursday, recommending adoption of the city’s first maximum heat bylaw, aimed at reducing health risks.

City law mandates a minimum temperature of 21 C in winter but lacks a similar rule for cooling in summer. While air-conditioned apartments must stay below 26 C, this standard doesn’t apply to units without air conditioning.

The proposed bylaw, which will go before city council on Dec. 17, would require landlords to maintain indoor temperatures in rental units below 27 C. If approved, the regulation will take effect on April 30, 2025, in time for summer.

  • AwesomeLowlander@sh.itjust.works
    11·
    7 days ago

    I don’t get your point. The law isn’t referring to a specific floor, it’s the maximum temperature anywhere in the building. I’m saying 27C seems way too low, setting the max at 30 or so would have made way more sense. This seems like a good way to mandate wastage of power.

    Units are effectively greenhouses with no ventilation.

    Again, since we’re using exact temp values, that’s not really relevant. Though that’s probably a much better starting point for legislation - better building techniques and green design.