Is my landlord required to provide heat in Ontario?

Yes. Heat is a vital service under the Residential Tenancies Act. Where the landlord supplies heat, they must maintain it, and municipal bylaws set a minimum temperature during the heating season (in Toronto, for example, at least 21°C from mid-September to the start of June). A landlord can never shut off heat or another vital service, even if you owe rent.

Is my landlord required to provide air conditioning?

Generally no. Air conditioning is not treated as a vital service across Ontario the way heat is, so most landlords aren't required to supply it. However, if your landlord does provide AC as part of your tenancy, they can't simply take it away, and a growing number of municipalities are moving toward maximum-temperature and adequate-cooling rules. Check your city's bylaws.

Can I install my own window or portable air conditioner?

Usually yes. Tenants generally have the right to install a window or portable AC unit for their own comfort, as long as it's done safely and doesn't breach a legitimate building or safety restriction. Your tenancy agreement may address who pays for the extra electricity if you're separately metered or reimburse the landlord.

What's the minimum temperature a rental must be kept at?

There's no single province-wide number — minimum heating temperatures are set by municipal property-standards bylaws. Many Ontario cities require around 21°C during the heating season. Contact your municipality's property standards or bylaw office for the exact figure and heating dates where you live.

What do I do if my heat goes out in winter?

Tell your landlord immediately and in writing. If they don't fix it promptly, contact your municipality's property standards/bylaw enforcement, which can order repairs for a vital-service failure. You can also file a T6 maintenance application with the LTB, which can order repairs and a rent abatement. Loss of heat in winter is an emergency and is often treated urgently.

Home BlogHeat and Air Conditioning in Ontario Rentals

OntarioAugust 3, 20266 min read

Is Your Landlord Required to Provide Heat and Air Conditioning in Ontario?

Heat and air conditioning are treated very differently under Ontario law. One is a vital service your landlord must provide and can never cut off; the other usually isn't required at all. Here's where the lines are — and what to do when the temperature in your unit becomes unlivable.

Heat Is a Vital Service — Full Stop

Under Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act, heat is a vital service, alongside hot and cold water, fuel, and electricity. Where your landlord is the one supplying heat, they must keep it running and in good repair. Critically, a landlord cannot shut off or deliberately interfere with a vital service — not to force you out, and not even if you owe rent. Doing so is illegal and can trigger penalties.

During the heating season, municipal property-standards bylawsset a minimum indoor temperature. There's no single provincial number, but many Ontario cities require around 21°C. In Toronto, for example, landlords must maintain at least 21°C from roughly mid-September to the start of June. Check your own municipality for the exact temperature and dates.

Air Conditioning Is a Different Story

Air conditioning is generally not a vital service in Ontario, so most landlords are not required to provide it. That said, two things are worth knowing:

If your landlord does provide ACas part of your tenancy, they can't simply remove or discontinue it — that would be an unlawful reduction of a service you're paying for.
The rules are shifting. With hotter summers, a growing number of municipalities are exploring maximum-temperature and adequate-cooling standards. This is an evolving area, so check whether your city has adopted any cooling bylaw.

Bottom line: don't assume AC is guaranteed, but don't assume you have no options either.

Your Right to Install a Unit

Tenants generally have the right to install their own window or portable air conditionerfor personal comfort, provided it's installed safely and doesn't breach a genuine safety or building restriction. Read your tenancy agreement: it may address who covers the extra electricity, especially if your unit is separately metered. A blanket "no air conditioners" clause that isn't tied to a real safety concern is the kind of term worth questioning.

What to Do If the Heat Fails

Loss of heat in winter is an emergency. Move quickly:

Notify your landlord immediately, in writing, and keep a copy.
Call municipal property standards / bylaw enforcement if it isn't fixed fast — they can order a landlord to restore a vital service.
File a T6 maintenance application with the LTB, which can order repairs and a rent abatement for the time you went without.

Whatever you do, keep paying your rent — withholding it can backfire. For why, and the right way to press a repair issue, see our guide on whether you can withhold rent over repairs and how to get your landlord to fix something.