The City of Toronto is moving forward with a new bylaw that requires owners of buildings, 50,000 square feet or larger, to report their annual energy and water usage. A reporting link has now opened for owners to input 2023 data, ahead of the July 2, 2024 deadline.

Toronto City Council approved Municipal Code 367 last December to help owners reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, save on utility costs and make their buildings more efficient.

Owners of buildings this size are already required to report the same data to the province of Ontario. To simplify the process, the city is also using Energy Star Portfolio Manager so owners can report their data to both the city and province using the same free online tool.

Tracking a building’s performance over time also helps compare it with the performance of similar buildings. The data will be used to design future city programs, policies and supports. The City’s Net Zero Existing Buildings Strategy aims to lower GHG emissions from buildings to net zero by 2040.

“This initiative is an important step in our ongoing efforts to transform Toronto so we can achieve our ambitious net zero goals,” said Councillor Dianne Saxe (University-Rosedale). “Addressing the climate emergency requires bold collective action. We are committed to partnering with residents, businesses and communities to drive meaningful change toward a more sustainable future for our city.”

Beginning in 2025, owners of buildings that are 929 square metres (10,000 square feet) or larger will also be required to report their energy and water use to the City of Toronto.

Toronto city staff began investigating energy reporting and benchmarking requirements for large buildings at the direction of the parks and environment committee back in 2014.

More information about how to report is available here.