Hamilton to pilot bylaw to protect downtown renters from extreme indoor heat

A man carries a case of water bottles between the high rises of St. James Town in Toronto, Wednesday, July 5, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston The Canadian Press Writer Oct 08, 2026, 1:58 PM Oct 08, 2026, 1:59 PM Hamilton city council has voted to pilot a bylaw intended to protect downtown tenants from stifling indoor temperatures, the first of its kind in Ontario.

The pilot will likely be watched closely by other cities, including Toronto, that are studying how to protect renters from increasing temperatures driven by climate change.

The pilot will require landlords in the city's downtown Ward 2, where most residents are tenants, to keep at least one room in each unit below 26 C, a threshold recognized by Health Canada.

The pilot is set to start next year and run through September 2028, with staff set to report back to council with their findings and recommendations for citywide expansion by early 2029.

Interim city manager Mike Zegarac says the city wants to take a "thoughtful approach to implementing this groundbreaking law."

Local tenant advocates argued the pilot should encompass more wards and apply citywide sooner, while a local landlord group had asked council to defer a decision while the city undertakes more studies.

By Jordan Omstead | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.