New Westminster City Council has approved a new bylaw amendment that will require landlords and property owners to maintain a safe indoor temperature in a rental unit occupied by a tenant. The updated Business Regulations and Licensing (Rental Units) Bylaw No. 6926, 2004 now requires at least one living space in an occupied rental unit to not exceed a safe indoor temperature of an average of 26°C between 8:00 pm and 8:00 am. These restrictions are in effect annually from April 1 to October 31.

The bylaw amendment comes in response to the 2021 heat dome event, where 33 New Westminster residents died due to extreme heat. New Westminster City Council directed staff to amend its bylaws to protect tenants from similar preventable fatalities in the future. This direction led to two bylaw amendments. The first amendment, adopted in 2025, prohibits property owners from prohibiting cooling devices, such as air conditioners, in rental units; the second is the current bylaw amendment, which requires property owners to maintain a safe indoor temperature in at least one living space in a rental unit occupied by a tenant.

Property owners are encouraged to conduct a cooling audit and work with tenants to identify the best measures and options for their particular context, in advance of hot weather. Property owners may choose whichever cooling solution best fits their building while maintaining the safe indoor temperature. Low-cost ways to reduce indoor temperatures include: thermal curtains, window films, portable AC units, ceiling fans, standing fans, basic air sealing, and HVAC filter cleaning.