Canadians need to do more to prep for 'potentially lethal' extreme heat events: report

The authors of a new report on extreme heat say Canada has reached the "ultimate code red" when it comes to addressing this burning environmental issue.

Researchers from the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo in Ontario consulted 60 experts across the country for the report, which includes "practical actions" individuals and communities can take to address rising temperatures.

Extreme heat is when the temperature and humidity rise above what is considered normal for an area. In some cases, the researchers say, it can be deadly.

Blair Feltmate, one of the lead authors of the report, noted that Ontario's Waterloo region currently sees about 10 to 12 days each summer where temperatures reach 30 C or higher, often topping out at 34 C.

He said modelling shows that by 2050, there could be up to 55 days each summer above 30 C and it could top out at 38 C.

People tend to equate extreme weather with floods or fires, Feltmate said. During those events, there can be human death, but in extreme cases of heat, hundreds can die. That was the case when more than 500 people died during a "heat dome" over parts of British Columbia, which saw temperatures above 40 C from late June to early July in 2021.

"So we describe it as a code red, because extreme heat is almost like the silent killer — that when things go wrong, they really go wrong," Feltmate said.

The report mentions three hot spots in Canada that are expected to be particularly impacted by extreme heat:

These are areas that have, in the past, seen more summer days over 30 C, higher maximum temperatures and longer heat waves than other parts of the country.

But the report says everyone is at risk from heat illnesses when temperatures rise.

Joanna Eyquem, another lead author of the study, said a lot of deaths from extreme heat involve people who live alone. Those most likely to be impacted are the elderly, people experiencing homelessness and people with health conditions.

"Because it's something that affects everybody, and we don't know when there is a problem necessarily, unless we're checking on those people, it might be harder to get away from extreme heat," Eyquem said.

"Basically, cities are hot spots for extreme heat and for global warming. So if you live in a city, you're probably exposed."

In April, a Statistics Canada report found many cities are going grey rather than green, which can result in urban heat island effects — when an urban area is significantly warmer than surrounding areas, such as a parking lot compared to a park.