Turning down the heat on sub-meters
In the last few years, some landlords of large apartment buildings have started to use heat sub-meters to bill tenants. These sub-meters are connected directly to the hot water radiators in a tenant's suite and are intended to measure the heat from the hot water being used to heat the apartment.
However, there have been a lot of questions about the accuracy of these heat sub-meters and how they're used to bill tenants.
So, I've introduced a specific regulation that prevents landlords from using a heat sub-meter to bill their tenants unless the sub-meter is certified by Measurement Canada. Currently, no heat sub-meters are certified.
The new rules start Nov. 18 and apply both to existing heat sub-meters and new heat sub-meters. If a heat sub-meter does becomes certified in the future, landlords can only use it to bill tenants if they clearly disclose the sub-meter readings, the amount being charged for the energy, any extra fees, and the calculation methods.
This is good news for tenants. I certainly support the principle of a tenant paying for the actual energy he or she uses and being rewarded for conserving energy. But this only works if renters are confident that the devices used to measure their energy use are accurate and the amount they're being charged is clear and understandable.
That's exactly what this new regulation achieves.
More information on the new regulation is available here.
- Hon. Heather Klimchuk, Minister of Service Alberta




