Hot Weather Protection Plan for landlords

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As an owner or landlord of a residential building, you can play an important role in protecting vulnerable tenants from extreme heat. Follow these three simple steps to help prevent heat-related illness and death.

Step 1 – Know the risks

While extreme heat can present a health risk to anyone, there are people at increased risk for heat-related illness who would benefit from having access to an air conditioned place in the building and receive a phone call or visit to make sure they are okay.

Those at increased risk for heat-related illness include:

• older adults
• infants and young children
• people with chronic illnesses, such as heart or respiratory conditions, people with limited physical mobility and people with certain mental health illnesses
• people on certain medications
• people who work or exercise outside
• people who live alone

Step 2 – Create a plan

Create a hot weather protection plan for your building before the summer season.

• Designate an air conditioned common room in your building as the cooling room.
• Complete the Summer Heat Safety Notice (PDF) indicating the location of the cooling room and post it where tenants can see this Notice.
• Educate tenants on how to protect themselves from extreme heat and the symptoms of heat-related illness.
• Be aware of which tenants are at increased risk for heat-related illness, especially those who live alone, have limited mobility or certain chronic illnesses.
• Know where the closest air conditioned place or cooling centre is located.

Step 3 – Take action

Take action throughout the summer and especially on heat/extreme heat alert days.

• Provide a cooling room for tenants to escape the heat.
• Post the location of the cooling room where tenants can see it, using the Summer Heat Safety Notice.
• Check regularly on tenants at increased risk for heat-related illness.
• Encourage residents to visit the cool room in the building or an air conditioned place.
• Remind tenants to keep hydrated and other tips to beat the heat.
• Call 911 if a tenant has a high body temperature and is either confused, has stopped sweating or is unconscious. While waiting for emergency services to arrive, help the person by moving the person to a cooler location, applying cold water to large areas of skin or clothing and fanning the person.

Last updated April 2012