Majority of lower- and mid-income Canadian renters, as per a survey, don't possess air conditioning units.

Majority of lower- and mid-income Canadian renters, as per a survey, don't possess air conditioning units.

In Canada, a staggering 44% of low- and moderate-income renters lack access to air conditioning, with cost being the primary barrier, according to a new report published by the national tenant union ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now). The study, titled "Crumbling Apartments in a Warming World: Tenants in an Energy Cost Crisis," was based on a survey of 737 renters across the country.

The report found that 46% of respondents who didn't have air conditioning cited cost as the main reason. Other reasons included not needing it (11%), uncertainty regarding permissions (9%), old or structurally unsound buildings (6%), broken air conditioning units (5%), landlord restrictions (4%), and removal at landlord's request (3%). The remaining 25% cited "other" reasons.

ACORN collected responses primarily from its members and other tenant contacts in cities such as Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Kitchener, London, Mississauga, Dartmouth, Halifax, Calgary, Vancouver, and more. Christena Abbott, an East York ACORN leader, emphasized the vulnerability of seniors to heat-related issues due to their health issues and limited income.

Extreme heat led to the most common impacts reported in the survey, with poor sleep, fatigue, and headaches being the most prevalent. Only 9% of tenants reported no impact from extreme heat.

In response, ACORN is advocating for national standards on cooling access, heat bylaws, energy poverty programs, and retrofit accountability. The group, in collaboration with Toronto city council, is pushing for the acceleration of the development of a maximum heat bylaw and the expansion of Toronto's new air conditioning program for low-income seniors.

Currently, Toronto requires rental units to maintain a minimum temperature of at least 21°C during the colder months, but there is no legal requirement for a maximum temperature in summer. ACORN is urging municipalities to implement bylaws that cap indoor summer temperatures, with some proposals suggesting a maximum of 26°C.

Renters in Canada, as per data from Energy Efficiency Canada, are more likely than homeowners to have lower incomes and live in older housing stock. Older apartments, while somewhat affordable, are least maintained and most energy inefficient, leading to higher utility bills, increased rents, and health issues during extreme weather events. Among tenants who mentioned having energy efficiency repairs in their building, 34% received notice of a rent increase.

ACORN's report also revealed that 65% of respondents lived in apartments built before the 1980s, and 50% lived in units owned by private corporate landlords. Forty-five per cent of respondents said they had a disability. In light of these findings and the increasing impact of climate-driven extreme heat events, ACORN's advocacy is focused on ensuring that all tenants, particularly those in low-income or older buildings, are protected through enforceable standards and improved access to cooling resources.

1. The new report published by ACORN, titled "Crumbling Apartments in a Warming World," highlights a lack of access to air conditioning among low- and moderate-income renters in Canada, with cost being the primary barrier.
2. Christena Abbott, an East York ACORN leader, emphasized the vulnerability of seniors to heat-related issues due to their health issues and limited income, which the report accentuates.
3. Extreme heat led to the most common impacts reported in the survey, with poor sleep, fatigue, and headaches being the most prevalent, affecting 91% of tenants.
4. In response, ACORN is advocating for national standards on cooling access, heat bylaws, energy poverty programs, and retrofit accountability, working closely with Toronto city council.
5. Toronto city council, in collaboration with ACORN, is pushing for the acceleration of the development of a maximum heat bylaw and the expansion of Toronto's new air conditioning program for low-income seniors.
6. Currently, Toronto requires rental units to maintain a minimum temperature of at least 21°C during the colder months, but there is no legal requirement for a maximum temperature in summer, which ACORN is urging municipalities to implement.
7. Among the findings of the ACORN's report, 65% of respondents lived in apartments built before the 1980s, and 50% lived in units owned by private corporate landlords, which raises concerns about older building conditions and energy efficiency.
8. The report also revealed that 45% of respondents said they had a disability, emphasizing the need for tenants, particularly those in low-income or older buildings, to be protected through enforceable standards and improved access to cooling resources.
9. ACORN's advocacy is focused on addressing climate-driven extreme heat events, policy-and-legislation changes, and the health-and-wellness of tenants by pushing for the implementation of cooling resources, healthier living environments through fitness-and-exercise programs, and environmental-science initiatives like climate-change mitigation and nutrition education.

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