Ontario’s new rules giving tenants an explicit right to install air conditioning units take effect on Wednesday, July 1. The provisions come from a 2023 law and apply during ongoing hot weather conditions. Under the change, tenants are allowed to install and use air conditioners such as window units or portable units. The rules specify that tenants can place these units in their rental spaces, while landlords’ ability to restrict such installations is more limited than under prior practices. The measures are intended to clarify tenant rights around cooling equipment, which had previously been handled through a mix of lease terms and general landlord-tenant principles. The new section is designed to ensure tenants have clearer legal authority to obtain and use air conditioning within their homes, subject to the framework set out in the legislation. Sources describe the start date and the basic types of units covered as the main points of the change.