Cooling Bylaw City of New Westminster
Landlords and property owners in New Westminster are now required to maintain a safe indoor temperature in an occupied rental unit.
In response to the 2021 heat dome, New Westminster City Council has amended the Business Regulations and Licensing (Rental Units) Bylaw.
The updated Bylaw requires at least one living space in a tenant-occupied rental unit to not exceed 26°C between 8:00 pm and 8:00 am. The restrictions are in effect from April 1 to October 31. This Bylaw applies purpose-built rental buildings and secondary market suites in personal residences and strata buildings. Read the City of New Westminster’s FAQ to learn more.
LandlordBC is committed to tenant health during increasingly frequent extreme heat events. However, what’s unfolded at the City of New Westminster with the requirement to maintain a maximum indoor temperature of 26°C in at least one living space, presents significant financial and operational challenges for rental building owners in the community. LandlordBC undertook significant advocacy with the City of New Westminster siting the lack of consultation with the sector while focusing on our core concerns – electrical and infrastructure capacity and financial implications. The City of New Westminster unfortunately has not fully acknowledged or addressed these challenges instead choosing a pathway that will have unintended consequences.
While the Bylaw may have been passed, there are many questions that remain unanswered which we continue to pursue. We will continue our advocacy, and as we learn more, we will ensure that our members impacted by this Bylaw are kept informed.