Landlord heat rules in Canada: minimum temperatures 2026

Landlords who supply heat in Canada must keep rentals warm, but only some places set a number. Toronto and Thunder Bay require 21 C, Hamilton and Mississauga 20 C, Manitoba 21 C by day, and Quebec treats about 21 C as the accepted minimum. Most other provinces set no figure we could confirm.

Updated Oct. 25, 2026

The rules differ because in much of the country the number comes from a city by-law, not provincial law. In Ontario, the figures below come from municipal by-laws. Every figure below comes from a government page or by-law, linked in each entry.

Key facts: minimum heat for rentals

What is the minimum temperature a landlord must provide in Canada?

There is no single national number. Residential tenancy is provincial and territorial, and the pages we reviewed set a figure in only a few places. Where a number exists, it is 20 C or 21 C in the rooms people live in.

Some rules carry conditions. Mississauga’s by-law does not apply if the landlord and tenant expressly agreed the unit would not be heated by the landlord, or if the tenant controls the temperature. Hamilton’s by-law does not apply if a lack of heat results from a tenant’s failure to pay for a service the tenancy agreement requires them to pay for. Toronto’s rule applies where the owner pays for heat.

What is the legal minimum temperature for an apartment in Ontario?

Ontario cities set their own figures. Toronto requires 21 C from Oct. 1 to May 15 where the owner pays for heat. In the shoulder seasons, Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 and May 1 to June 1, the city said owners may turn heat down or off if the unit stays at 21 C without it. The rule is in the Heating Bylaw, which becomes the Indoor Temperature Standards Bylaw on June 1, 2026, the city said.

Mississauga’s Adequate Temperature By-law 0110-2018 requires 20 C in all areas of a rented unit and has no seasonal start or end date. Hamilton’s Adequate Heat By-law requires at least 20 C, measured with the thermostat set at or above 20 C and without temporary heaters. Thunder Bay’s Minimum Heat By-law requires 21 C in habitable rooms, and says space heaters cannot be used to meet the requirement except temporarily during repairs or if they are electric.

London’s Vital Services By-law covers heat, electricity and water, the city said, but the page we reviewed lists no temperature. Residents in other Ontario cities should check their own municipal by-law.

What is the minimum temperature in Manitoba?

Manitoba’s Residential Tenancies Branch said landlords must keep rental units at least 21 C (70 F) from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and at least 18.3 C (65 F) from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. It sets no fixed date for turning the heat on and treats a heating failure in the cold months as an emergency. The source is a branch newsletter from winter 2016, so tenants should confirm the current figures with the branch. In Winnipeg, the branch said to call 311.

What are the heating rules in Quebec?

Quebec sets no start date for heating. The Tribunal administratif du logement said the landlord must maintain an appropriate room temperature regardless of the time of year, and that in normal weather winter temperatures should generally be kept at about 21 C (70 F). The tribunal noted that figure is generally accepted, not set out in law or most municipal by-laws.

If the heating fails, the landlord must take immediate corrective steps and, if heat cannot be restored promptly, provide a temporary source such as a space heater. If the landlord does not act or cannot be reached, the tenant may repair the heating system or fill the oil tank, and reasonable expenses can be reimbursed or deducted from rent, the tribunal said.

What are the rules in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Atlantic provinces?

We did not find an official page setting a minimum indoor temperature for rentals in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut. That does not mean landlords can leave tenants without heat. New Brunswick, for example, treats disconnection or problems with the primary heating system as an emergency repair the landlord must make without delay, and gives no temperature.

In Vancouver, a June 2024 staff report said the city charter lets council regulate minimum temperature in occupied rooms, and proposed a $1,000 ticket for failing to maintain the standard temperature or provide adequate heating. The report gave no figure. Tenants in these places should ask their provincial tenancy office or municipality what applies.

How cold is too cold? A worked example

Suppose a tenant measures 19.5 C in a living room at 3 p.m. on a November day. In Toronto, where the owner pays for heat, that is below the 21 C minimum. In Thunder Bay it is below 21 C. In Hamilton and Mississauga it is below the 20 C minimum, by half a degree. In Manitoba it is below the 21 C daytime standard, but the same reading at 2 a.m. would meet the 18.3 C overnight standard. In Quebec it is below the roughly 21 C benchmark, though that is not a legal threshold. This is an illustration, not a legal finding.

How do I measure the temperature in my apartment?

The by-laws specify where to measure. Thunder Bay’s by-law says to take the reading near the centre of a habitable room, about 1.2 metres above the floor, with windows and external doors closed. Hamilton and Mississauga measure 1.5 metres above the floor and 1 metre from a wall. Quebec’s tribunal advises taking readings in the centre of each room, one metre above the floor, at regular times over a few days, and recording outdoor temperatures too.

What can landlords be fined?

Penalties vary. Mississauga’s by-law carries fines of up to $100,000, and up to $10,000 for each day an offence continues. Thunder Bay’s by-law sets a minimum first-conviction fine of $300 and a maximum of $5,000. Hamilton can issue a work order and, if the owner does not comply, do the work at the owner’s expense, up to $20,000 unless council approves more, with costs added to the property tax roll.

Frequently asked questions

Who do I call if my landlord will not fix the heat?

Tell the landlord in writing first and keep copies. In Toronto, call 311 or use the city’s property standards request form if it is not resolved, and the city said landlords must respond to urgent no-heat requests within 24 hours. In London, submit a Request for Service at 519-661-2489. In New Brunswick, call the Tenant and Landlord Relations Office at 1-888-762-8600. In Quebec, contact the Tribunal administratif du logement.

Can a landlord turn the heat off in October?

It depends on the place. Toronto’s 21 C rule applies from Oct. 1 where the owner pays for heat, with heat optional between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15 only if the unit stays at 21 C without it. Quebec has no start date and requires an appropriate temperature all year. Mississauga’s rule applies year-round.

Does a space heater count?

Not in Thunder Bay, where the by-law says space heaters cannot be used to meet the requirement except temporarily during repairs or if they are electric. Hamilton measures with the thermostat at or above 20 C and without temporary heaters. In Quebec, a temporary space heater is what the landlord must supply when heat cannot be restored quickly.

For winter preparation, see our guides on home heating rebates in Canada, the winter storm prep checklist and how to prevent frozen pipes.

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Sources: City of Toronto, indoor temperatures; City of Mississauga, By-law 0110-2018; City of Hamilton, Adequate Heat By-law; City of Thunder Bay, BL 94/2022; City of London; Manitoba Residential Tenancies Branch; Tribunal administratif du logement; Government of New Brunswick; City of Vancouver staff report, June 11, 2024.