Health Canada has clarified its position on indoor temperature standards after a briefing document sparked concerns about potential government regulation of home heating and cooling.
A June 20, 2025 briefing note prepared for Health Minister Marjorie Michel stated the government was “establishing safe indoor temperature limits to keep our homes healthy and cool,” according to documents first reported by Blacklock’s Reporter.
Health Canada spokesperson Maryse Durette later walked back the language, telling reporters the wording “does not refer to any planned regulation of temperature in homes.” She said the department aims to fill “evidence and guidance gaps” on indoor heat, which officials describe as the leading cause of heat-related deaths in Canada.
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The statement drew attention to existing smart meter infrastructure, which utilities across Canada use for remote service management. These digital meters can disconnect and reconnect electricity remotely, a feature utilities have employed for years, primarily for non-payment situations and service transfers.
Ontario’s Hydro One, the province’s largest electricity distributor, states in its conditions of service that it “reserves the right to disconnect or control the amount of electricity that a customer can consume by installing a load control device.” The utility lists 19 specific reasons for disconnection, including non-payment, safety concerns, and code violations. Temperature regulation is not among them.
Health Canada’s focus on indoor heat follows Canada’s 2021 heat dome event, which killed 619 people in British Columbia. The BC Coroners Service found 98% of heat-related deaths occurred indoors, with most victims over 70 years old and living alone.
Several Canadian municipalities have already implemented indoor temperature standards for rental properties. Toronto amended its property standards bylaw in December 2024 to require landlords to maintain a maximum temperature of 26°C between June 1 and September 30 in units equipped with air conditioning.
The National Building Code is also proposing changes that would require new residential buildings to include cooling facilities capable of maintaining indoor temperatures below 26°C during summer months in areas where outside temperatures exceed that threshold.
Dr. Glen Kenny, a University of Ottawa professor who studies heat’s effects on the human body, has found that 26°C represents the highest indoor temperature most people can sustain safely. His research informed public health recommendations across Canada.
The Labour Department separately disclosed in July that it is revising workplace safety rules to introduce “specific limits” for exposure to hot environments and mandate employer procedures to address thermal stress.
Health Canada has not announced any timeline or framework for residential temperature regulations beyond existing municipal bylaws and building code requirements.
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