Tenant group renews call for maximum heat bylaw as Ottawa braces for hot summer

A report from ACORN Canada shows that nearly half of low-income tenants lack AC as the summer heat sets in. CTV’s Tyler Fleming reports.

As another scorching summer settles over the nation’s capital, a tenant advocacy group is renewing its urge the city implements a maximum heat bylaw to protect tenants from unsafe indoor temperatures.

A new report from ACORN found that in Ottawa, close to half of low-to-moderate income tenants lack air conditioning, largely due to affordability. Fifty-four per cent reported extreme heat as their top housing issue.

ACORN is calling for a bylaw that caps indoor temperatures at 26 C, similar to minimum heat requirements in winter. The City of Ottawa currently mandates landlords maintain heating at 20 C during the day in colder months but has no regulation setting a maximum temperature during the summer.

“If the house has heating, it’s important for wintertime, just as cooling should be in summertime,” said Ottawa ACORN member Hassan Youssouf. “Climate change now is real. We see all the heat going up all over the world and it’s very hard to live inside a house that’s feeling like an oven.”

Youssouf says the issue impacts tenant’s health, sleep and ability to work.

“It causes a lot of health issues, a lot of productivity problems. If people cannot sleep at night, they can’t go to work in the morning, or it gets them sick,” he said. “There’s a lot of elderly, and there’s a lot of people who are sick with health issues, and they can’t stand the heat.”

On days when temperatures rise into the 30s, Youssouf notes indoor conditions can feel like 40 C or more.

“During the day maybe, you can go find somewhere with air conditioning... but at night, in the evening when everything is closed, there’s no place to go,” said Youssouf. “And if you can’t sleep two or three nights, then it’s going to be more health issues.”

He says adding cooling units could ease pressure on the healthcare system by preventing heat-related illness.

“It’s important for landlords to act and governments to give grants or maybe a loan to retrofit homes,” Youssouf adds.

In a statement, the City of Ottawa says it recognizes the impact extreme temperatures can have, particularly for residents without adequate cooling.

“There is currently no bylaw that sets a maximum allowable indoor temperature during summer months,” writes Roger Chapman, Director of By-law and Regulatory Services. “The City acknowledges that this may pose challenges for residents, particularly during extreme heat events.”

While tenants can install air conditioning with landlord permission, the city says it continues to explore ways to better support residents during extreme weather.

Residents living in unsafe conditions are encouraged to contact 3-1-1.

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