Served Cambridge
Also covered: Galt, Preston, Hespeler
Property maintenance in Cambridge under By-law 26-021
Cambridge rewrote its property standards in February 2026. By-law 26-021 replaced By-laws 181-04, 184-04 and 44-17 with one set of rules, and gave rental units their own clauses in sections 5.29 to 5.52.
Checked 2026-10-03
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Coverage
02
A duplex is a multiple dwelling
The by-law sets 21 C from October 1 to May 15 in any building with more than one dwelling unit, so a duplex or a house with a basement unit is inside the rule, not only an apartment building. A no heat call in that window is answered 24/7 and booked with an HVAC technician; outside it, a house with one furnace still needs a system able to reach 21 C. See the heating season.
03
Mould, pests and hot water
Cambridge writes mould into the by-law and lets an officer order a certified air quality assessment and requires the owner to provide the written report. A mould call is closed out with the source found, the fix, and photos before and after, because that is what the assessment will look for. The by-law also sets hot water between 45 C and 60 C, so a water heater call records the temperature at the tap. See mould in a rental. Pest control is done by licensed exterminators.
04
Three units, and a grant
A house can hold three units, and the City's ARU grant pays up to $10,000 toward service upgrades, drawings and construction. The City and the Region charge no development charges for these units. A water service upgrade for a new unit is on the private side of the property line, and it is plumbing we can scope with the conversion.
05
City pipes, Region water
The Region of Waterloo supplies and treats the water. The City owns the mains and sewers to the property line: watermain breaks go to 519-621-0740 and sewer backups to 519-623-1340, both at any hour. Property standards complaints go to the By-law Enforcement Office at 519-621-0740 ext. 7907 (property standards).
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Who does the work
Plumbing is done by licensed plumbers and drain work by licensed drain contractors. Gas work is done by TSSA registered contractors. We only use ECRA/ESA-Licensed Electrical Contractors.
To send a Cambridge job, request work.
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Cambridge's 2026 property standards
The owner of a building with more than one dwelling unit continuously supplies heat to keep all occupied areas at 21 C or more from October 1 to May 15 (section 5.50 of Property Standards By-law 26-021, in force February 24, 2026). Every residential building's heating must reach 21 C at an outside design temperature of minus 18 C (section 5.49), and a rental unit cannot use portable heaters as its primary heat (section 5.52).
Any accumulation of mould is cleaned and removed (section 5.72), and a by-law officer can order an inspection by a certified air quality assessment professional, and the owner must provide the written report (section 5.73).
Every building is kept free of rodents, vermin and insects at all times (section 5.5), hot water in every dwelling unit runs between 45 C and 60 C (section 5.42), electrical work meets Electrical Safety Authority standards (section 5.48) and fuel burning appliances comply with the Technical Standards and Safety Act (section 5.53).
A lot with a detached, semi or townhouse can hold up to two additional residential units, three units in all, with a building permit and occupancy approved by Building Services. The City's one time ARU grant pays up to $10,000 toward service upgrades, drawings and construction.
The City owns the watermains and the water service to the property line and curb stop, and the sanitary and storm sewers; the owner is responsible from the property line into the building. Sewer blockages and backups go to Environmental Services at 519-623-1340, 24 hours a day.
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Galt, Preston and Hespeler
Cambridge was incorporated on January 1, 1973 from Galt, Preston and Hespeler and parts of Waterloo and North Dumfries Townships; Blair had joined Preston in 1969 (City of Cambridge, Local history). Heritage attributes of designated properties have their own maintenance standard under By-law 26-021.
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Common services in Cambridge
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Questions
When is heat required in a Cambridge duplex?
From October 1 to May 15, at 21 C in all occupied areas. By-law 26-021 treats any building with more than one dwelling unit as a multiple dwelling, so duplexes and houses with an additional unit are included.
Can the City order a mould inspection at a Cambridge rental?
Yes. Under section 5.73 of By-law 26-021, a by-law officer can order an inspection by a certified air quality assessment professional, and the owner must provide the written report.
How many units can a Cambridge house have?
Three in all, the main home plus up to two additional residential units, either all three in the main building or two there and one in a detached building.
Who answers a watermain break in Cambridge?
City of Cambridge Public Works, at 519-621-0740, at any time. A sewer blockage or backup goes to 519-623-1340, 24 hours a day.
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