Under the RentSafeTO program, building owners and operators are required to:
Below you will find detailed information about building maintenance standards and requirements under the RentSafeTO program.
A unit cannot be rented if there are outstanding issues. This includes:
Landlords/property managers are required to inform new tenants about the following when signing a lease agreement:
Landlords/property owners are responsible for providing heat to a minimum air temperature of 21 degrees Celsius from September 15 to June 1.
If outdoor weather raises in the spring or fall, or is expected to raise the temperature of apartment units above 21 degrees Celsius, the City encourages landlords and property owners to use their best judgement and consider turning the heat off.
Learn about the heat bylaw and heating in your building during the “shoulder seasons” (May 1 – June 1 and September 15 – October 15).
If a building has air conditioning, the Property Standards bylaw requires for it to be turned on between June 2 and September 14. If it is hot outside, landlords can turn it on earlier and keep it on longer, as long as the temperature does not go below 21 Celsius.
The Property Standards bylaw also requires building owners to ensure that all supplied facilities (including window air conditioning) are installed and maintained in a safe way.
City of Toronto bylaws do not prohibit window air conditioning units in apartment buildings.
Under the Property Standards Bylaw, landlords are responsible for ensuring window air conditioning units are installed and maintained to function safely and effectively. If the City determines that a window air conditioning unit may be unsafe, it may require the landlord to prove that a qualified tradesperson has installed, or confirmed proper installation and maintenance of, the window air conditioning unit. The City considers qualified tradespersons to be members certified under Skilled Trades Ontario and a City of Toronto business licence where required, or an accredited professional.
There are no City bylaw provisions requiring this proof from tenants or allowing landlords to require this proof from tenants. However, the terms of the lease agreement between the landlord (apartment building owner) and tenant may include requirements concerning air conditioning in the rental unit. Landlords and tenants may want to seek legal advice and information on how the Residential Tenancies Act applies.
Download the frequently asked questions on window air conditioning in apartment buildings.
Landlords and property owners are required to create a hot weather plan to protect tenants from heat-related illness.
Under the Apartment Buildings Bylaw, information on air-conditioned locations or cool locations must be accessible to tenants.
To assist with the requirement, the City’s Heat Relief Network has more than 300 locations to help residents stay cool during the summer and during Heat Warnings which includes locations such as libraries, community centres, pools/wading pools/splash pads, civic centres, drop-ins and several private and non-profit organizations, including some shopping malls and YMCA locations. An interactive map is also available to help people find a Heat Relief Network location near them.
More information about this requirement is included under Tenant Notification Board.
Services must be provided by tradespeople that are members in good standing of Skilled Trades Ontario (STO).
There are 23 trades where certification and STO membership are legally required. Visit the Skilled Trades Ontario public register to find out if a tradesperson is certified and for more information about compulsory trades..
Compulsory trades include:
Landlords and property owners are required to keep logs of service and maintenance conducted on:
The log must include:
Landlords and property owners are required to develop an electrical maintenance plan with a licensed electrical contractor. Information on how to create a plan can be found on the ESA (Electrical Safety Authority) website 
.
Records must be maintained and be made available upon request.
Landlords/property owners are required to develop and maintain a State of Good Repair (Capital) Plan using the City’s State of Good Repair (Capital) Plan template. A plan must be created for every apartment building.
Plans should include a five year forecast of major building repairs. Details should include when “the element” is expected to be replaced or updated.
Capital elements include, but are not limited to:
A copy of the Capital Plan must be provided to tenants within 60 days of request.
Landlords/property owners are responsible for maintaining a unit and making sure it is free of pests, such as ants, cockroaches, bedbugs, spiders, mice and rats.
When the landlord/building owner made aware of pests at the property, they must:
Landlords/property owners are also required to post the following on the tenant notification board: pest management plans including documentation of pest control services and schedule, service standards and product information related to pest control activity.
Toronto Public Health will work with landlords/property owners to respond to bed bug infestation complaints, where it may be a health hazard.
Tenants who have concerns about pests, should speak to the landlord or property manager and submit a service request. If issues are not addressed, tenants can contact 311 and submit a service request for the RentSafeTO team.
While pest management is the landlord or property managers responsibility, the following tips can help prevent pest infestations:
Tenants must allow landlords to treat their unit for pests. Tenants must be notified by the landlord ahead of time about what is required to prepare the unit for treatment, such as emptying cabinets, removing furniture from walls, etc.
In order to keep tenants up-to-date, a notification board must be posted in a central location within the building. See Tenant Notification Board Interpretation Bulletin.
A sample Tenant Notification Board is available to illustrate the information that must be posted. This is not a mandatory layout but an example that can be customized.
Read more about the requirements below.
RentSafeTO program information must be posted to inform tenants that they can contact the RentSafeTO team by connecting with 311. The RentSafeTO: Apartment Building Standards Program brochure can be downloaded for tenants.
Copies of the most recent building evaluation result received from the City must be posted on the tenant notification board. This can be a printed copy of the most recent evaluation letter that is available through the RentSafeTO Online Portal. Evaluation results can also viewed and printed from this interactive webpage.
This includes heat, water, security systems, electricity, and elevators. Details must include: what is out of service, how long it will be out of service, and which units are affected.
The Property Standards Bylaw requires a sign to be posted with emergency contact information. If contact information changes, the sign must be updated within one week of the change.
Signs must:
Landlords or property manageres can download, fill-in and print this Emergency Contact Information template or create their own emergency contact sign.
Landlords/property managers are required to post the following:
The following resources have been created to help with this requirement:
Information on cooling locations in the City are subject to change so ensure that the information is up-to-date before posting.
The City of Toronto will notify the building owner of any upcoming building audits. This information must be posted on the tenant notification board at least 30 days prior to the audit date.
Information on major capital projects must include: name of the project, how long it will take, and which units are affected.
Capital elements include but are not limited to: roof, elevators, façade, windows, mechanical systems, underground garage, interior flooring, interior wall finish, balcony guards, and handrails.
Post details of any pest treatment activities, including:
The cleaning plan is a list of all common areas (such as the garbage and recycling storage area, walls, floors, and laundry room etc.) in the building and how often the areas will be cleaned.
A copy of any notice and order issued by the City for common areas of the buildings such as property standards, graffiti, or waste must be posted on the tenant notification board.
Post information related to any violations of the Ontario Fire Code, as identified by Toronto Fire Services.
You must post the following
You need to post information about waste management on the tenant notification board.
Vital services are essential services that you must provide to keep tenants healthy and safe. Vital services include water, fuel, electricity, natural gas, and heat.
A vital service disruption is an event where any of these services is disrupted.
You are required to develop and maintain a Vital Service Disruption Plan for your building. This plan must be implemented when there is an unplanned vital service disruption in your building.
Download the Vital Service Disruption Plan Form 
and complete this for each registered apartment building in Toronto. The form provides minimum requirements for the Plan, including the timeframes in which you must take specific actions. A Guidance Document 
is also available to help you complete the form.
Failure to develop, maintain and implement this plan during a vital service disruption is a chargeable offence under the Apartment Buildings bylaw.
Landlords/property managers are required to maintain a contact list of tenants who voluntarily self-identify as requiring assistance during evacuations or a temporary discontinuance of a vital services.
The following sample Voluntary Tenant Contact List has been created to help with this task.
The list must be kept in a secure area and a place where it can easily be found during an emergency.