Standardizing the Air Conditioner Benefit (Pilot)

What is proposed or decided

• Staff recommend adding $1,060,000 to the 2026 budget for Environment, Climate and Forestry. The money would come from the City's extreme weather reserve. ^[1]From the staff report (May 8, 2026)

  “City Council increase the 2026 Operating Budget for Environment, Climate and Forestry by $1,060,000 gross and $0 net, fully funded from the Corporate Extreme Weather Reserve”

• Staff recommend quick steps to give free air conditioners to the people most at risk from extreme heat. ^[7]From the staff report (May 8, 2026)

  “his report recommends immediate measures to address the impacts of indoor heat through enhanced provision of free ACs to those most vulnerable to the impacts of extreme heat. ”

• Close to 500 eligible people got a free portable air conditioner put in their home. ^[10]From the staff report (May 8, 2026)

  “Close to 500 eligible recipients received a free portable AC installed in their suite.”

• This year's funding expands the program to at least 1,000 free units. It adds low-income pregnant people and infants in apartment buildings, and keeps supporting low-income seniors with health needs. ^[11]From the staff report (May 8, 2026)

  “his year, funding was secured through the budget process to expand the program to provide at least 1,000 free portable ACs, and a new eligibility stream was created to support low-income pregnant individuals and infants in multi-unit residential buildings, while continuing to support low-income seniors with health-related needs. ”

• Staff propose giving out portable air conditioners the same way in three City programs, where it makes sense. ^[13]From the staff report (May 8, 2026)

  “standardize the issuance of portable air conditioners, where appropriate, to residents eligible for the City’s Air Conditioner Assistance Program, the City’s Hardship Fund and the Ontario Works Discretionary Benefit Program”

• The Executive Committee recommends adding $1,060,000 to the 2026 budget for environment, climate and forestry. The money would come from the extreme weather reserve. ^[17]From the Executive Committee recommendation (May 12, 2026)

  “City Council increase the 2026 Operating Budget for Environment, Climate and Forestry by $1,060,000 gross and $0 net, fully funded from the Corporate Extreme Weather Reserve (XQ1408)”

• The Committee recommends adding $1,041,667 to the City's contract with CLEAResult Canada. The money is for more portable air conditioners. The contract total would rise to $2,133,867. ^[18]From the Executive Committee recommendation (May 12, 2026)

  “amendment to Blanket Contract Number 4300000099, competitively awarded under nRFP Doc5443909641, issued to CLEAResult Canada Inc. for additional supply, delivery and installation of portable air conditioners by $1,041,667 net of all applicable taxes and charges ($1,060,000 net of HST recoveries), revising the current Blanket Contract value from $1,092,200 net of all applicable taxes and charges ($1,111,422 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) to $2,133,867 net of all applicable taxes and charges”

• The Committee recommends that City Council direct staff to give City-bought air conditioners to vulnerable tenants. This is for tenants of Toronto Community Housing and Toronto Seniors Housing. The focus would be on seniors. ^[19]From the Executive Committee recommendation (May 12, 2026)

  “direct the Executive Director, Environment, Climate and Forestry, in coordination with Toronto Community Housing Corporation and Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation, to distribute air conditioners procured by the City to vulnerable tenants, with a focus on seniors within those housing providers”

• The Committee recommends that City Council direct the City Manager to gather its past requests to the provincial and federal governments. These are about tenant supports, rent increases and help to retrofit buildings. ^[20]From the Executive Committee recommendation (May 12, 2026)

  “direct the City Manager to consolidate the requests that City Council has made to the Provincial and Federal Government around tenant supports, rent increases, incentives to retrofit buildings and other issues within their jurisdiction”

• The Committee recommends that City Council ask the licensing director to study heat laws in other cities. Examples are New Westminster and New York City. This would help shape Toronto's own maximum temperature by-law. ^[21]From the Executive Committee recommendation (May 12, 2026)

  “request the Executive Director Municipal Licensing and Standards, as part of the ongoing development of the maximum temperature by-law, to consider recent examples of maximum temperature legislation in other municipalities, including New Westminster and New York City”

• City Council added $1,060,000 to the 2026 budget for environment, climate and forestry. The money comes from the City's extreme weather reserve. ^[22]From the City Council decision (May 21, 2026)

  “City Council increase the 2026 Operating Budget for Environment, Climate and Forestry by $1,060,000 gross and $0 net, fully funded from the Corporate Extreme Weather Reserve (XQ1408)”

• City Council approved adding $1,041,667 to the existing contract. The money buys and installs more portable air conditioners. ^[23]From the City Council decision (May 21, 2026)

  “authorize an amendment to Blanket Contract Number 4300000099, competitively awarded under nRFP Doc5443909641, issued to CLEAResult Canada Inc. for additional supply, delivery and installation of portable air conditioners by $1,041,667 net of all applicable taxes and charges”

• City Council asked the City Manager to gather its past requests to the provincial and federal governments. These are about tenant supports, rent increases and building retrofits. They would help put a future heat by-law in place. ^[26]From the City Council decision (May 21, 2026)

  “direct the City Manager to consolidate the requests that City Council has made to the Provincial and Federal Government around tenant supports, rent increases, incentives to retrofit buildings and other issues within their jurisdiction that would support the implementation of a Maximum Temperature By-law”

Who and where it affects

• The plan would help low-income and vulnerable residents. This includes people who apply to the City's Hardship Fund and people on Ontario Works or ODSP. It also includes tenants in community and seniors housing. ^[3]From the staff report (May 8, 2026)

  “expanding and harmonizing air conditioner benefits across the City’s various program offerings to low- income and vulnerable residents, including applicants to the City’s Hardship Fund, recipients of Ontario Works/Ontario Disability Support Program benefits, and tenants across Toronto Community Housing Corporation and Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation buildings”

• Other people at risk include people with low incomes and people who are homeless or live alone. People who work in the heat or are active outside are also at risk. ^[8]From the staff report (May 8, 2026)

  “Vulnerable groups also include economically and socially disadvantaged individuals (e.g. low income, experiencing homelessness or living alone), people who work in the heat, and people who are physically active outside.”

• Staff recommend letting Toronto Community Housing and Toronto Seniors Housing hand out spare air conditioners. These are units that City programs did not use. They would go to vulnerable residents. ^[15]From the staff report (May 8, 2026)

  “facilitate access for TCHC and TSHC to distribute surplus portable AC units not deployed through City programs to vulnerable residents”

Conditions, limits and amounts

• Up to 2,400 portable air conditioners could be supplied and installed in the summer of 2026. ^[4]From the staff report (May 8, 2026)

  “This allows for up to 2400 air conditioners to be supplied and installed during the summer of 2026.”

• Eligible people could choose an air conditioner instead of up to $300 in cash. The cash is for buying a cooling unit for medical needs. ^[5]From the staff report (May 8, 2026)

  “eligible clients will have the option to receive an AC in lieu of a cash benefit of up to $300 toward the purchase of a cooling unit for medical purposes.”

• About 54% of private rental homes have no air conditioning from the landlord. For non-market rentals, it is about 67%. ^[9]From the staff report (May 8, 2026)

  “an estimated 54% of private-market rental units and an estimated 67% of non-market rental units in Toronto do not have landlord-provided AC.”

• Existing funding of $300 per unit would partly cover the extra City cost. ^[14]From the staff report (May 8, 2026)

What changed along the way

• Staff also propose adding $1,041,667 to the City's contract with CLEAResult Canada. This would pay for more units. ^[6]From the staff report (May 8, 2026)

  “The recommendation to amend Blanket Contract No. 4300000099 with CLEAResult Canada Inc. would increase the contract value by $1,041,667”

Reasons given in the staff report

• The staff report says extreme heat is one of Toronto’s most urgent climate hazards for health. ^[2]From the staff report (May 8, 2026)

  “Extreme heat and its impacts on human health is one of the City of Toronto’s most urgent climate hazards”

• Staff say the change would make AC benefits fairer across the three City programs. ^[16]From the staff report (May 8, 2026)

  “enhance equity among recipients of AC related benefits across the three City programs”

Not yet known

• Staff say they need more information before they can propose a maximum indoor temperature by-law. ^[12]From the staff report (May 8, 2026)

  “Additional information is required before such a by-law can be brought forward, particularly as it relates to any possible measures to protect tenants from AGls ”

From the staff report to the Executive Committee (May 12, 2026)

Kept word for word: parts 1, 3. Reworded: part 2. Added: parts 4, 5. Removed: none. Part numbers are those in the Executive Committee.

• Reworded: part 2

  City Council in accordance with Section 71-11.1C of the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 71 (Financial Control By-Law), authorize an amendment to Blanket Contract Number 4300000099, competitively awarded under nRFP Doc5443909641, issued to CLEAResult Canada Inc. for additional supply, delivery and installation of portable air conditioners by $1,041,667 net of all applicable taxes and charges ($1,060,000 net of HST recoveries), revising the current Blanket Contract value from $1,092,200 net of all applicable taxes and charges ($1,111,422 net of [removed: HST ][added: Harmonized Sales Tax ]recoveries) to $2,133,867 net of all applicable taxes and charges ($2,171,423 net of [removed: HST ][added: Harmonized Sales Tax ]recoveries).

• Added: new part 4

  City Council direct the City Manager to consolidate the requests that City Council has made to the Provincial and Federal Government around tenant supports, rent increases, incentives to retrofit buildings and other issues within their jurisdiction that would support the implementation of a Maximum Temperature By-law and re-transmit them to the appropriate level of government.

• Added: new part 5