Toronto City Council has given the green light to a new regulation that mandates apartment buildings without air conditioning to make cooled amenity spaces available during the hot summer months.
The Council decision involves scrapping the current heating bylaw and introducing a fresh Indoor Temperature Standards bylaw, slated to come into force on June 1, 2026.
As per the updated rules, apartment complexes with at least one amenity space must ensure that a shared area maintains a temperature no higher than 26 °C from June 1 to Sept. 30, if individual units do not have cooling provisions.
Additionally, the bylaw includes enhancements to property standards and regulations for apartment buildings, compelling landlords to notify tenants about the whereabouts and operating hours of cooled amenity spaces, along with other accessible areas offering respite during extreme heatwaves.
Furthermore, the Council has given the nod to the continuation of an air conditioner assistance initiative for low-income and vulnerable households, pending approval in the 2026 budget.