It is a summer day on xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) territories, in Vancouver. The weather is warmer than average, but likely still cooler than most mid-July days to come. The latest heat wave just passed over coastal BC, with many temperature records broken. At 10am, it already is 27.9°C in my apartment, about 2°C hotter than outside. I write this sitting in front of a window fan, thankful that the air quality is okay enough right now to do so. Add a little more heat or some wildfire smoke, and I’ll have to find somewhere else to go.
I recently spoke with several tenants who are facing extreme heat in their units as well. In addition, they told me about how they’re struggling with energy costs, indoor air quality concerns, underheating in winter, pests, and more. What I found is that these tenants are living in conditions that are a violation of human rights. There is a major gap in emergency preparedness (people cannot shelter in place if their home is not safe to be in), and the impacts of unhealthy housing represent an urgent public health issue.
One-third of BC households are renters, who have little to no control over the factors that influence whether they’ll swelter, freeze, or if they’re fortunate, experience comfortable temperatures and good air quality indoors. Tenants are rarely included in conversations with policymakers about how we can make homes more energy-efficient, healthier, and safer in a changing climate. We believe that needs to change.
Renters pay for the inefficiencies of the buildings they live in, in more ways than one. High utility bills force people to decide between paying for electricity, food, or medications, and the costs of buying and running space heaters, fans, air purifiers, and window/portable air conditioning cause additional financial burdens. Creating improvised solutions to make up for building inefficiencies takes up a lot of time and a home that is constantly uncomfortable to work, cook, socialize or sleep in causes ongoing stress. Excessive heat, cold, or poor indoor air quality can cause illness or aggravate existing health conditions, and in extreme cases, it can be fatal, as evidenced by the 619 deaths during the 2021 heat dome in BC. This is unacceptable — and very much preventable.
Heat is an increasing threat, particularly in combination with poor air quality, such as more frequent wildfire smoke events. Summer is becoming a source of fear and dread as renters are desperately trying to keep themselves, their loved ones, and their pets safe in the heat. This is not a problem we can individually air condition our way out of in the long term. Even if everyone had money to pay for the steep cost of operating the window and portable A/Cs, they are an incredibly inefficient use of energy in housing that overheats because it lacks the proper insulation, windows, shading, and ventilation that could keep it cool in the first place. Building owners need to make upgrades to avoid wasting energy, but there’s not enough incentive or regulation to encourage these necessary energy-efficient retrofits.
In addition to speaking with tenants, I also interviewed experts working in relevant organizations and reviewed the latest research and case studies to explore solutions. There are policy options, including regulations and funding, that could ensure renters are not left behind as we face increasingly extreme weather. The full discussion of these ideas, including the pros and cons of different solutions, is detailed in our latest research report: Advancing Tenants’ Rights to Retrofits and Energy Efficiency. Based on the experiences shared and research reviewed, we recommend combining three solutions:
- Rental units need to be able to maintain safe temperatures and air quality, which can be regulated by municipal bylaws or provincial tenancy law. As one of our tenant participants observed: “If you go to a restaurant, there are so many regulations to ensure that health regulations are followed, and if you call to complain they will inspect. Why is it not the same for rentals?”
- Make energy cost and efficiency information available. Just as the cost of rent is public information that helps people decide between units, so should the utility costs and energy efficiency be shared to give future renters an idea of what costs they’ll face.
- Provide government funding specifically aimed at supporting upgrades of rental housing as a matter of public health, climate resilience, and poverty reduction. Renters who already struggle to make ends meet should not have to foot the bill for upgrades to a building they don’t own. Owners who can prove they need financial support should be able to get grants to make the needed improvements.
We need to act on the recognition that everyone deserves a healthy, affordable home and make sure the safety of renters in a changing climate does not continue to be neglected, wasting human potential and needlessly burdening our healthcare system. Let’s stop ignoring the fact that most renters currently have few choices in impossibly tight housing markets and no leverage to convince building owners to make upgrades voluntarily. The problem of unhealthy and unsafe homes needs to be tackled by those who have control. As a renter, I rely on the goodwill of their building owners to ensure my safety and health at home, but from personal experience and based on the research conducted for this report, I know that isn’t enough.
For more information, read Advancing Tenants’ Rights to Retrofits and Energy Efficiency.