Bill 130: Adapting to a Hotter Ontario Act, 2026

The most immediate and direct impact falls on Ontario employers across a wide range of industries — roofing, road paving, agriculture, commercial kitchens, manufacturing, foundries, and construction — where workers regularly face hot conditions outdoors or in heated indoor environments. Whether you run a small landscaping crew, a mid-size food processing plant, or a large agricultural operation, you will be required to develop and annually review a Heat Stress and Protection Policy, conduct heat stress assessments, provide paid cool-down breaks, supply drinking water near work areas, and fund approved heat stress training for workers, supervisors, and health and safety representatives — all at your expense. Businesses in agriculture, real estate, and infrastructure sectors will also face longer-term regulatory changes tied to the climate adaptation plan, including potential updates to building codes, stormwater requirements for new developments, mandatory climate risk disclosures for critical infrastructure operators, and maximum indoor temperature rules of 26°C for rental units and employer-provided housing. Forestry, logging, and land development companies may face reinstated environmental assessment requirements and new reforestation and forest management obligations tied to wildfire risk reduction.