Vancouver Island town considers bylaw to help keep rental units cool in summer

The town council in View Royal, a suburb of Victoria, B.C., is considering a bylaw that would require landlords to keep rental units under a certain temperature in summer — and over a certain temperature in winter. 

Coun. Don Brown, who tabled the motion, said it is a "no-brainer" given the extreme heat waves British Columbia has faced in the past few years. 

In 2021, 619 British Columbians died over eight days of intense heat.

"It's a health and safety concern, bottom line," said Brown, who noted that some municipalities in B.C. have minimum temperature standards, but he could find none with maximum standards. 

The City of Victoria, for example, requires landlords to supply heating that can maintain the temperature at at least 21 C.

Brown has suggested that View Royal institute 21 C as its minimum, and 26 C as its maximum.

The bylaw would apply to all rental units, not just new builds. 

A few municipalities in Ontario, including Mississauga, have a maximum temperature bylaw of 26 C.

After discussion at the council table, View Royal staff is now looking into the suggestion and will report back to council later this year. 

Brown says some of his colleagues were concerned about enforcement. 

The town, which has a population of 11,575, has only one bylaw officer. 

Brown suggested enforcement would be complaint-driven. 

"I don't expect [the] bylaw officer go around knocking on people's doors and coming out with a thermometer to measure the temperature," said Brown. 

But advocates say once such a bylaw is in place, municipal officials might not have to get involved at all.