ACORN Hamilton wins first tenant protections in the Province of Ontario against extreme heat

Today Hamilton City Council passed a pilot for an adequate temperature bylaw in Ward 2 starting summer 2027.

After a year plus of delays, staff reported back on the 2023 motion for tenant protections against extreme heat.

The by-law will require rental housing in Ward 2 (city owned and non profits exempt) to ensure one habitable room is less than 26 degrees between May 15 – September 15.

The current proposal doesn’t explore expansion to all wards until 2029.

Councillor Kroetsch champion for a strong max heat bylaw brought forward 4 amendments to strengthen the proposal but the effort lost 5-10.

Councillors Nann, A. Wilson, M. Wilson and Hwang supported the amendments.

While it’s not the by-law we fought for, ACORN sees this as a step forward in protecting tenants from unsafe temperatures due to climate change. 

Before Council, ACORN hosted a press conference with demands for a strong by-law:

• Expand the By-Law Citywide
• Permanent tenant protections – no pilot
• Support for tenants – improvements to the City of Hamilton Housing Emergency Fund
• Remove date ranges to all year round min and Max cooling/heat standards 
• Exemption for landlords should be narrowed
• Opt-out for tenants should be removed 
• Remove exemption for Not-for Profit Social Housing Providers and municipal housing corporations 

Allies that supported the campaign – Canadian Environmental Law Association, Environment Hamilton, Hamilton 350, Hamilton Community Benefits Network, and Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment.

We will be ready to bring this fight next term. Our coalition is eager to fulfill a city wide by-law to protect all tenants and we will show the next Council this.