After two years of extensive consultation with stakeholders on the details of a Building Emissions Performance Standard (BEPS) bylaw, it is time for the City of Toronto to resume consultations and approve a BEPS bylaw no later than Q2 of 2026.
What is a BEPS?
A BEPS is a local by-law that sets emissions targets for buildings based on their type and size, and requires building owners to improve the performance of their building gradually to remain in compliance. It is structured to provide regulatory certainty, allowing owners and operators to plan capital upgrades, save on operating costs, and improve the value of their building. BEPS are complemented by financial and technical support for building operators. Toronto’s BEPS will exclude single family homes, industrial buildings, hospitals, and buildings under 20,000 square feet.
What’s at stake
A BEPS will provide tremendous economic opportunity, driving demand for retrofit services and creating an estimated 7,000 full time jobs in Toronto. Residents and tenants will be able to enjoy healthier, resilient buildings with more affordable energy bills. BEPS is also the biggest opportunity for carbon reduction in the TransformTO climate plan. Without it, Toronto will have little progress to show on TransformTO, and would need to implement a host of new policies and programs to meet climate targets.
There is broad support for a Toronto BEPS
Extensive Toronto consultations revealed that many stakeholders support them, under certain conditions. The regulated sector is requesting certainty and lead time. Tenant advocates including ACORN Canada want assurances that tenants and affordability will be protected. TAF and other experts have weighed in with recommendations about how these expectations would be met, and leading jurisdictions like Boston and New York have shared lessons learned and best practices.
When the bylaw takes effect, 85% of buildings will be in compliance and won’t need to make any changes. About 10% will need to make minor upgrades, and 5% will require a deeper review and further retrofits. There is available financing and support from the City, CMHC, FCM, and other lenders, to help support these building owners with hitting their performance targets. Based on analysis, there is enough available financing to support this 15% of buildings with reaching compliance. TAF and other organizations are working together to raise funds from the federal government to cover any potential funding gap.
Overall, we’ve seen broad support for BEPS from multiple sectors, and a recent public poll showed 84% of Torontonians support their local governments applying building requirements that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Take action
There are two ways you can voice your support for Toronto’s BEPS: Deputing directly to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee or submitting a letter of support.
Depute
You can sign up to depute, or speak, at the Infrastructure and Environment Committee meeting on December 4. Send an email to iec@toronto.ca by 4:30pm on December 3 with your request to speak. You’ll have up to five minutes.
Send an email
Send an email to Mayor Olivia Chow and members of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee. Be specific about how a BEPS bylaw passed in this term of council would benefit your industry. Feel free to adapt this template or contact us for support with your submission.
Both actions will require emailing iec@toronto.ca with the agenda item name and number. We will update these items with specific instructions when they are available on November 27.
Leave a Reply