My apartment is not warm enough what is the minimum temperature?
Short answer
In Quebec, no law sets a date on which heating must start, but it is generally accepted that in winter the indoor temperature of a dwelling should reach about 21°C. Where heating is the landlord's responsibility, the landlord must ensure an adequate temperature.
In detail
A clause of the lease setting a start date for heating has no effect: it is the actual indoor temperature that determines whether heating is needed. It can be cold in September and mild in March.
If the heating breaks down, the landlord must act so that the tenant can reasonably use the dwelling and so that damage is avoided. If they cannot fix the situation immediately, they must provide a temporary solution.
Some municipalities have their own by-laws on sanitary conditions and heating, and a complaint can also be filed with them. Before the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL, Quebec's rental board), the tenant may ask for a rent reduction and damages.
What to document
Dated temperature readings, taken every day in the same spot and at the same time, with photos of the thermometer. Add the date of each complaint to the landlord, their response, and the municipal complaint number if there is one.
Put your facts in writing, free. Writing your version down early, keeping your documents dated and preparing your questions for a lawyer: the tool is there to document, never to advise.
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Official sources
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What this page is not
This is general legal information about the law of Quebec and Canada, dated and sourced. It is not legal advice, not a strategy, and not a prediction about the outcome of a case. In Quebec, only lawyers and notaries may give legal advice (Act respecting the Barreau du Québec, ss. 128 and 133). Laws and amounts change: the official source always prevails over us.