Canada doesn’t have one minimum or maximum workplace temperature that applies to every employee. The rules depend on your province, industry and working conditions. However, employers must protect workers from dangerous heat and cold.
Whether you’re working in a hot warehouse, an office without heating or outdoors during extreme weather, you have workplace safety rights. Here’s what employees in Canada need to know.
? Important: There is no universal temperature at which all employees in Canada can automatically stop working. Your right to refuse unsafe work depends on the actual danger and the applicable workplace safety laws.
On This Page
- Legal Workplace Temperatures
- Working in Extreme Heat
- Working in Extreme Cold
- Rules by Province
- Refusing Unsafe Work
- Can You Be Fired?
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Legal Workplace Temperature Regulations in Canada?
There is no single legal minimum or maximum working temperature across Canada. Workplace temperature requirements depend on the applicable federal or provincial occupational health and safety laws.
Some workplaces have specific indoor temperature requirements. Others are governed by broader safety rules requiring employers to assess and control dangerous conditions.
For example, Ontario’s industrial-establishment regulations require many covered enclosed workplaces to maintain a minimum temperature of 18°C, subject to exceptions.
In workplaces without a specific temperature limit, employers must still address hazards that could cause heat stress, heatstroke, hypothermia or other injuries.
The temperature alone isn’t the only factor. Humidity, wind chill, physical activity, protective clothing and exposure time also affect workplace safety.
Can Your Employer Make You Work in Extreme Heat?
Employers can require employees to work in hot conditions, but they must take steps to protect workers from dangerous heat.
Extreme temperatures can become hazardous in outdoor jobs, warehouses, factories, kitchens and other workplaces without adequate cooling.
Depending on the conditions, employers may need to:
- Provide access to drinking water
- Improve ventilation or cooling
- Allow additional breaks in cooler areas
- Adjust workloads or schedules
- Train employees to recognize heat-related illness
There is no automatic nationwide rule requiring all workplaces to close when the temperature reaches 30°C or 35°C.
If the heat creates a genuine safety hazard, you may have grounds to refuse unsafe work through the applicable legal process.
Can Your Employer Make You Work in Extreme Cold?
Employees may be required to work in cold conditions, but employers must protect them from dangerous exposure.
Working outdoors in freezing temperatures or inside an unheated building can create risks, including frostbite and hypothermia.
Depending on the workplace, necessary precautions may include:
- Appropriate protective clothing and equipment
- Access to heated rest areas
- Additional warming breaks
- Reduced exposure to extreme cold or wind chill
- Training to recognize cold-related injuries
An extreme cold warning doesn’t automatically mean every employee can refuse to work. The actual conditions and available protections determine whether the work is unsafe.
Workplace Temperature Regulations by Province
Workplace safety laws differ across Canada. Here’s how the rules apply in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.
Ontario Workplace Temperature Regulations
Ontario requires covered enclosed industrial workplaces to maintain at least 18°C, subject to exceptions. There is no universal maximum temperature for all workplaces.
Employers must take reasonable precautions against dangerous heat and cold under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Read: Workplace Temperature Regulations in Ontario →
Alberta Workplace Temperature Regulations
Alberta doesn’t set one temperature at which all employees can stop working.
Employers must assess and control hazards caused by extreme heat or cold. Workers can refuse dangerous work when the conditions meet the requirements under Alberta’s occupational health and safety laws.
Read: Working in Extreme Temperatures in Alberta →
British Columbia Workplace Temperature Regulations
In BC, employers must assess and control heat and cold exposure that could harm workers.
Employees may have the right to refuse unsafe work where dangerous conditions exist, but weather warnings alone don’t automatically establish that a job is unsafe.
Learn more about Workplace Temperature Regulations in BC and the right to refuse unsafe work.
Federally regulated employees: If you work in a federally regulated industry, such as banking or telecommunications, federal occupational health and safety requirements may apply instead of provincial rules.
Can You Refuse to Work if the Temperature Is Unsafe?
Yes. Employees in Canada have workplace safety protections that may allow them to refuse work when extreme temperatures create a genuine danger.
The exact rules depend on the jurisdiction and job. Not every uncomfortable workplace temperature gives employees the right to stop working.
If you believe the temperature is dangerous:
- Report the hazard. Tell your supervisor why the conditions are unsafe.
- Follow the applicable work-refusal procedure. Your employer must respond according to workplace safety laws.
- Document the conditions. Record temperatures, symptoms, safety concerns and communications.
- Contact the workplace safety authority if necessary. Your province or federal regulator can explain the next steps.
⚠️ Don’t simply walk off the job. If you believe your work is unsafe, follow the legal work-refusal procedure that applies to your workplace. This helps protect your health and employment rights.
Can You Be Fired for Refusing to Work in Extreme Temperatures?
Employers can’t lawfully punish employees for properly exercising their protected workplace safety rights.
If you report dangerous temperatures or lawfully refuse unsafe work, your employer may be prohibited from retaliating through discipline, threats, reduced hours or termination.
If you’ve been fired or pressured to resign after raising a safety concern, you may have legal options.
For non-unionized employees, termination may also trigger severance entitlements. Severance can be as much as 24 months’ pay.
Learn more about severance pay in Ontario, severance pay in Alberta and severance pay in BC.
Workplace Temperature Regulations Canada: FAQs
What is the minimum legal working temperature in Canada?
There is no single minimum temperature for every workplace in Canada. Specific rules depend on the jurisdiction and workplace. For example, many enclosed industrial workplaces in Ontario must maintain at least 18°C, subject to exceptions.
What is the maximum legal working temperature in Canada?
There is no universal maximum temperature that applies to all Canadian workplaces. Employers must assess and control dangerous heat, even where no specific limit exists.
What temperature is too hot to work?
There isn’t one temperature that automatically makes all work unsafe. Humidity, physical effort, ventilation, protective clothing and exposure time must also be considered.
What temperature is too cold to work outside?
There is no nationwide outdoor temperature that automatically stops work. Employers must manage risks from cold exposure, wind chill and the type of work being performed.
Can my employer punish me for reporting unsafe temperatures?
Employers can’t legally retaliate against workers for exercising protected workplace safety rights. If you’re disciplined or fired after raising a safety concern, get legal advice.
Fired or Disciplined for Raising a Workplace Safety Concern?
If your employer has threatened, disciplined or fired you after you reported unsafe working temperatures, you may have legal options.
The employment lawyers at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP help non-unionized employees in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia understand their workplace rights, challenge wrongful dismissals and recover severance pay.
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