As the debate on maximum indoor temperature standard gets underway at Toronto City Hall today, now is a good time to point out to YorkU employees and students that we once had a standard for maximum acceptable temperature but the HSEWB Department got rid of it this year.
The bottom line is this: we shouldn't be working, teaching or learning in rooms that are hot and stuffy. If the air is too hot and too stuffy, report it immediately to your supervisor. Best practice is to use an air quality sensor with temperature sensing, to take a picture of its display and to include that in the report to your supervisor.
Now, how hot is too hot? Well, that's gotten unhelpfully murky in the last few months. What used to be unacceptable is now just not recommended.
Before 2025: Above 26C was Unacceptable
The pre-2025 "Appendix A" document used the word "acceptable" rather than "recommended". I suspect that this change in wording could lead to complaints from employees not leading to action as the thresholds are now just recommendations.
Since 2025: Above 26 C is Just Fine (?!)
The HSEWB proposed the temperature threshold wording change, along with increasing the CO2 level threshold from 1000ppm to 5000ppm in the Fall of 2024. This was done in spite of written suggestions asking otherwise.
Employees are Needed to Report Air Quality Issues
It's important for all employees at the University to know that the buildings are not equipped to detect air quality issues in all indoor spaces at all times. There simply aren't enough sensors or Facilities and HSEWB employees to be checking every office, lab and classroom at all times. The lack of pro-active monitoring resources has been confirmed at the Health and Safety Executive Council twice (see item 2211-01 and 2308-02 in the minutes from 2023 and 2024).
As such, the University relies on reports and complaints from employees to identify potentially problematic areas. Once again, you are an important part in making sure that the University's air quality is as good as it can be. Without your reports, the University won't know where many of the problems are.
Conclusion
Bring an air quality monitor to work. Make sure that it has at least temperature display. Ikea sells some good ones, as do other reputable vendors. Many come with humidity, particulate matter, VOC and CO2 options. For good measure, compare your sensor to a colleague's.
If temperature values get too high then take a photo and tell your supervisor. You can also tell your Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC). If your supervisor doesn't get the temperature dropped to within the acceptable levels, then you should absolutely tell your JHSC.
In all cases you should feel free to suggest that HSEWB deploy their calibrated air quality sensors because we all want to have the best possible data to examine the situation and to rectify problems. And, when they're in your office or classroom, feel free to compare the output of your sensor to theirs!
James Andrew Smith is a Professional Engineer and Associate Professor in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department of York University’s Lassonde School, with degrees in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alberta and McGill University. Previously a program director in biomedical engineering, his research background spans robotics, locomotion, human birth, music and engineering education. While on sabbatical in 2018-19 with his wife and kids he lived in Strasbourg, France and he taught at the INSA Strasbourg and Hochschule Karlsruhe and wrote about his personal and professional perspectives. James is a proponent of using social media to advocate for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion as well as evidence-based applications of research in the public sphere. You can find him on Twitter. You can find him on BlueSky. Originally from Québec City, he now lives in Toronto, Canada.
Appendix A (Pre-2025)
Here is the previous version of the document. The maximum acceptable temperature at the University before 2025 was 26 degrees C.
Note the use of the word "acceptable" rather than "recommended".
Also note how indoor CO2 threshold signalling "inadequate fresh air" was set to 1000 ppm and formed the basis for action in multiple JHSC-led investigations. As of 2025, the 1000ppm is no longer recognized by HSEWB (see reply to Osgoode JHSC), whereas it had previously been used (see report filed with Osgoode JHSC in 2022). Similar actions were taken base