Ontario Mandates Extreme Heat Safety Notices

Summary#

This Ontario bill would create an Extreme Heat Awareness program. It aims to help people prepare for heat waves and reduce heat-related health problems.

• Declares the first week of June each year as Extreme Heat Awareness Week.
• Requires the province to run a website with tips, prevention steps, resources, and FAQs about extreme heat in Ontario.
• Requires the province to mail the same information every year to households in areas that are not part of a municipality.
• Requires all municipalities, including Toronto, to include extreme heat information with property tax bills.
• Most requirements start three months after the bill becomes law.

What it means for you#

• Residents

  • You will have a provincial website with clear steps to prepare for heat waves, reduce health risks, and find local resources (like cooling centres or health advice).
  • You can read answers to common questions about extreme heat in Ontario.

• Property taxpayers

  • You will receive extreme heat information with your municipal property tax bill.

• People in areas without a municipality (unorganized territories)

  • You will get a mailed information package from the province each year with extreme heat tips and resources.

• Municipalities (including Toronto)

  • Treasurers must include the province’s extreme heat materials with every property tax bill they send.
  • You may need to adjust printing and mailing processes to add these inserts.

• Provincial government (Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks)

  • Must create and maintain the website and content.
  • Must mail materials to households in unorganized areas each year.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

• Heat awareness can prevent illnesses and save lives by helping people prepare before summer begins.
• Sending inserts with tax bills reaches most households, and annual mailings cover people in unorganized areas.
• A single, trusted provincial website makes it easier to find accurate information and local resources.
• Education is a low-cost way to reduce health risks from rising temperatures and more frequent extreme weather.
• Better public knowledge may lessen strain on hospitals during heat waves.

Opponents' View#

• Mandating inserts could add printing and mailing costs for cities and towns, with no new funding.
• People may ignore extra inserts in tax bills; other outreach methods might work better.
• Some regions already share heat safety tips; this could duplicate existing local efforts.
• Awareness alone does not fix barriers like lack of air conditioning, safe housing, or transportation to cooling centres.
• Annual mailings to unorganized areas add ongoing logistics and costs without clear proof of impact.