Tenant group pushes for climate protections in report highlighting extreme heat risks

A tenant advocacy group in Canada is urging stronger protections in the face of rising summer temperatures. ACORN Canada’s new report, based on a survey of over 700 renters, revealed that 44 percent of respondents do not have air conditioning in their homes, with many citing cost as the main barrier. This lack of cooling options leaves low- and middle-income renters vulnerable to heat-related illness and discomfort.

More than half of the tenants surveyed identified excessive indoor heat as a top maintenance issue, showing that it isn't just an occasional problem—it’s a persistent risk in many homes. As climate change drives more frequent and intense heat waves, tenant advocates feel the old approach of treating heat as a luxury won’t stand. They want cooling to be treated as essential as heating.

One major proposal from ACORN is for municipal bylaws requiring landlords to maintain maximum indoor temperature limits during the summer, similar to current regulations mandating heating in winter. Toronto City Council is already exploring such regulations and is expected to report back by the end of the year. Climate projections suggest that days over 30 °C in Toronto could rise from about 20 to as many as 66 by mid-century, making indoor cooling rules more urgent.

Landlord groups caution that enforcing cooling may push up rents or lead to disputes at rental tribunals. ACORN and other tenant organizations counter that any such regulations must include government support to prevent tenants from bearing these costs. They’re calling for a federal energy poverty program, modelled on Ontario’s support system for low-income households, with summer top-ups to help cover utility and cooling bills.

Further, ACORN warns that energy-efficiency retrofits may unintentionally lead to rent hikes. One-third of tenants who saw their buildings upgraded received rent-increase notices afterward. To address this, the group recommends that federal green retrofit funding should require landlords to sign anti-eviction agreements and show how tenants will benefit directly.

The report stresses that tenants—especially those in older, poorly insulated buildings—have been left out of the climate-change conversation. To fix that, ACORN wants tenants included in retrofit planning, mandatory performance standards for buildings, protections tied to public funding, and formal avenues for tenant voices in government climate policy. With heat waves becoming more common, they say housing must adapt—and quickly—so no one is left to bake through the summer.