# Property maintenance in Cambridge under By-law 26-021

Updated 2026-10-03.

Cambridge rewrote its property standards in February 2026. [By-law 26-021](https://www.cambridge.ca/media/cwuj1dwg/property-standards-by-law-26-021.pdf) 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.

## 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](https://roundhousegroup.ca/services/hvac/heating-season/).

## 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](https://roundhousegroup.ca/answers/mould-in-a-rental-ontario/). Pest control is done by licensed exterminators.

## Three units, and a grant

A house can hold three units, and the City's [ARU grant](https://www.cambridge.ca/business-building-development/building-planning/additional-residential-units/) 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.

## City pipes, Region water

The [Region of Waterloo](https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/programs-and-services/water-and-wastewater/drinking-water-supply/) 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](https://www.cambridge.ca/business-building-development/building-planning/property-standards/)).

## 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](https://roundhousegroup.ca/request-work/).

## 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). Source: [City of Cambridge, Property Standards By-law 26-021](https://www.cambridge.ca/media/cwuj1dwg/property-standards-by-law-26-021.pdf)
- 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). Source: [City of Cambridge, Property Standards By-law 26-021](https://www.cambridge.ca/media/cwuj1dwg/property-standards-by-law-26-021.pdf)
- 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). Source: [City of Cambridge, Property Standards By-law 26-021](https://www.cambridge.ca/media/cwuj1dwg/property-standards-by-law-26-021.pdf)
- 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. Source: [City of Cambridge, Additional residential units](https://www.cambridge.ca/business-building-development/building-planning/additional-residential-units/)
- 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. Source: [City of Cambridge, Wastewater and sewers](https://www.cambridge.ca/resident-services/water/wastewater-sewers/)

## 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](https://www.cambridge.ca/business-building-development/building-planning/history-heritage/local-history/)). Heritage attributes of designated properties have their own maintenance standard under By-law 26-021.

## Related pages

- [Property Maintenance in Waterloo Region](https://roundhousegroup.ca/areas/waterloo-region/)
- [Who is responsible for mould in an Ontario rental unit?](https://roundhousegroup.ca/answers/mould-in-a-rental-ontario/)
- [Multiplexes and rented houses](https://roundhousegroup.ca/buildings/multiplexes-and-houses/)

## 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.