2026.EX31.2

Background

“Extreme heat and its impacts on human health is one of the City of Toronto’s most urgent climate hazards, now and for the future. As the City adapts, immediate measures are needed to address the health and safety risks for those most vulnerable to impacts of heat, such as older adults…an estimated 54% of private-market rental units and an estimated 67% of non-market rental units in Toronto do not have landlord-provided AC.”

“In 2025, a pilot program was introduced to provide free portable ACs to low-income seniors with health-related needs to provide in-suite cooling in multi-unit residential buildings. Close to 500 eligible recipients received a free portable AC installed in their suite.”

Source: City of Toronto

Item Description

Using money from the Corporate Extreme Weather Reserve, City Council will increase the 2026 Operating Budget for Environment, Climate and Forestry by $1,060,000 in order to procure and install additional air conditioners for eligible tenants. The focus will be on seniors living within the Toronto Community Housing Corporation and Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation, although other vulnerable individuals will also be eligible.

In addition, the City Manager will “consolidate the requests that City Council has made to the Provincial and Federal Government around tenant supports, rent increases, incentives to retrofit buildings and other issues within their jurisdiction that would support the implementation of a Maximum Temperature By-law and re-transmit them to the appropriate level of government.”

Finally, the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards will report back to the June 2026 meeting of City Council “with a framework for implementation of a maximum heat bylaw”

Source: City of Toronto

Proposed by

Executive Director, Environment, Climate and Forestry; Executive Director, Social Development; Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards; Chief Procurement Officer