Safe Apartment Buildings program launches to improve building conditions in Hamilton

HAMILTON, ON – Starting January 1, 2026, Hamilton’s Safe Apartment Buildings program (By-law 24-054) will promote safe, clean and comfortable rental apartments for tenants, while supporting landlords in maintaining quality housing. By taking a proactive approach, the program protects tenants from renovictions, addresses maintenance concerns in a timely manner and makes building conditions more transparent for everyone. 

The bylaw aims to improve apartment building conditions by:

• Requiring annual registration for rental apartment buildings with two or more storeys and six or more units.
• Introduce building evaluations with public scores based on maintenance practices and standards.
• Support clear tenant service request processes so issues inside units are addressed in a reasonable time frame.

From July 14 to September 30, 2025, the City consulted tenants, landlords, property managers and housing providers to better understand building conditions and lived experiences across Hamilton. This feedback shaped how buildings will be evaluated, ensuring that scoring reflects real concerns and is easy to understand. 

“Through these consultations, we built a program that responds to what we heard,” said Marnie Cluckie, City Manager. “It focuses on keeping buildings well maintained, addressing concerns in a timely way and strengthening our ability as a city to support safe, reliable housing in our community.”

The Safe Apartment Buildings bylaw is part of Hamilton’s new Apartment Rental Program, which also includes Canada’s first Renovation Licence and Relocation bylaw, updates to the City’s Vital Services and Property Standards bylaw and an expansion of rental housing licensing to smaller buildings.

Quick Facts

• The Safe Apartment Buildings By-law 24-054 was approved by Council in 2024.
• The bylaw does not apply to condominiums, long-term care homes, licensed residential care or retirement homes, lodging homes or housing co-operatives.