Selected seniors with medical issues will be provided a free air conditioner by the City to fight the heat. CBC photo.
There will be air conditioning relief provided to some seniors to cope with the heat this summer.
City officials have launched a program to provide air conditioning units to some 500 low-income seniors with medical needs this summer in a pilot project hastened by climate change.
The item was adopted by an Infrastructure and Environment Committee and considered by City council during their May meeting.
The plan calls for indoor portable air conditioners be provided to chosen seniors with medical needs living in multi-unit apartments before the temperatures reaches 26C, according to proposed guidelines.
Some 500 air conditioning units will be distributed to qualified seniors starting this month, according to City documents.
Overheated senior sweating in high temperature at home cooling in front of a fan during the hot summer weather. Courtesy photos.
Those aged over 65 with medical issues can apply through their guardians by phone or online and is proposed to be selected in draws, similar to a lottery. The devices will be delivered to their homes.
“Toronto is increasingly experiencing the effects of climate change, including more frequent, prolonged and extreme heat events,” according to a committee report. “
“Excessive indoor temperatures are a significant concern for many, including residents in multi-unit residential buildings without air conditioning.”
The heat can lead to ‘a significant impact on seniors and individuals with health conditions (e.g. chronic heat and lung conditions, asthma, cancer).’
Portable air conditioner units like this one will be delivered and installed by workers.
“This initiative is a Mayoral priority that received funding in Budget 2025, aligns with broader climate change resilience efforts and complements existing supports, such as the City’s Hardship Fund,” according to the report.
The City currently provides financial assistance of $300 per household for air conditioner purchases to Social Assistance clients and income-qualified individuals through the Hardship Fund. In 2024, the City issued approximately 650 subsidies.
Demand for the pilot program is expected to exceed the available funding of $200,000, according to City staff.