The city will move forward on the motion intended to protect renters from extreme summer temperatures following the 2021 heat dome
Illustration by Sage Blackwell.
On Thursday, May 14, the City of Victoria council voted unanimously on a motion imploring staff to investigate ways to help protect tenants from rising summer temperatures.
The motion calls on staff to potentially adopt or modify a bylaw that: ensures that landlords cannot prevent tenants from installing cooling equipment such as HVAC systems and blackout curtains; requires that all rental units include at least one room that can be kept from exceeding 26 degrees Celsius; and ensures that any renovations that result from this motion do not turn into evictions or above-guideline rent increases.
This motion comes on the heels of a similar bylaw passed in New Westminster in April that requires landlords to provide tenants of multi-family rental buildings with one room per unit that does not exceed 26 degrees Celsius between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.
Councillor Matt Dell brought forward this motion at the May 14 meeting. Dell cited rising summer temperatures, such as the 2021 western heat dome, where temperatures rose up to 20 degrees Celsius above average across western Canada.
During the heat dome, 619 people died in B.C., including 24 in the Greater Victoria area. Dell said that most residential buildings in Victoria “were designed for milder climates and lack mechanical cooling systems, making them susceptible to overheating.”
While B.C. building code updates in 2024 set max temperatures for new buildings, older buildings still need to be updated.
“Will a heat dome happen again? The answer is yes. It’s not a question of whether it’s going to happen, it’s a question of when and how often,” said Councillor Dave Thompson, who seconded the motion.
Thompson pointed to the requirement that landlords provide heating and said that cooling is now under the same principle. “It’s about keeping residents safe,” he said.
An hour-long discussion followed the proposition of this motion, including a vigorous debate about whether the motion should be postponed.
“It’s happening across the country, it’s coming to B.C., New [Westminster] is the beginning of it. I think it’s a very tricky area, but I don’t think postponement helps,” said Councillor Chris Coleman. The result of the vote was 8-1 in opposition to postponing.
The Victoria Tenants Union (VicTU) is in support of this motion, and was consulted in the drafting of it. However, VicTU’s says their support for any bylaw resulting from this motion is contingent on it placing the cost burden of necessary cooling systems on landlords.
“Too much onus is put on tenants to know their rights and proactively do research and take actions to protect themselves from landlord exploitation, neglect and abuse,” said VicTU’s spokesperson, Harland Bird, in a statement to the Martlet.
City of Victoria staff must first study how a bylaw could be structured and enforced, and must report back to council with recommendations prior to implementing any changes.
In the meantime, VicTU urges tenants to form tenant associations within their buildings. These associations can help check in on vulnerable people like seniors, Bird said, and provide refuge for those with unsafe apartments.
Bird said that anyone looking for assistance in forming an association can reach out to VicTU for support.
