For renters, extreme heat can be a housing and health emergency. In Toronto’s predominantly low-income St. James Town neighbourhood, heatwaves hit hard. Many residents live in aging high-rises prone to water and power failures. Green space is scarce, and window air conditioners have often been replaced with weaker portable units that fit poorly in cramped quarters. For renters, heatwaves are not just uncomfortable, but potentially intolerable and dangerous.

Relief was supposed to arrive before summer. Based on a city council decision last year, renters expected a maximum temperature bylaw proposal by May. But nothing has appeared on the agenda. Toronto blames the province for its inaction. 

Instead, the City of Toronto has proposed one-time funding to expand its air conditioner pilot program up to 2,400 units in 2026 and mandated RentSafeTO apartment buildings have an amenity room to provide a cooled space. While these are important and admirable measures, they still leave the majority of renters in potentially unsafe living conditions.

According to the City of........

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