With heat waves more frequent, P.E.I. public health officials are preparing an alert system

With Prince Edward Island slowly but surely getting hotter, the province's Chief Public Health Office is developing a plan to keep people safe during the heat waves that have become increasingly more common. 

P.E.I. saw three heat waves in 2024, with the first warning issued on the last day of spring. Environment Canada issues heat warnings when the temperature is forecast to exceed 28 C for two or more days with overnight temperatures not dropping below 18 C.

Despite the increased frequency of these events, this province is one of the last in the country to develop what's known as a heat alert and response system, or HARS. 

That's about to change. The Chief Public Health Office recently secured funding from Health Canada to hire a co-ordinator to develop such a program in P.E.I.

"When we look at extreme heat events, particularly in other provinces, then we know that there's an increase in daily mortality rates when temperatures rise above certain levels," said Dr. Heather Morrison, the province's chief public health officer. 

"We want to prevent these kinds of tragedies from happening here." 

In 2021, a heat dome killed at least 619 people in British Columbia over a five-day span. High temperatures in Quebec in 2010 claimed the lives of 280. 

A heat dome occurs when a high-pressure system traps heat near the earth's surface, and it gets held in place by a blocked jet stream.

Heat waves are projected to become more intense, frequent and longer in duration across the country, and they're becoming a bigger public health concern for P.E.I. officials too. 

"I remember saying to other people in other parts of the country, 'Oh, we don't need air conditioning,'" Morrison said. 

"That has changed, and we really do want to make sure that we look after Islanders as we recognize the impacts of these extreme heat events that are occurring and will continue to occur with more frequency."

Heat alert and response systems have been implemented at community and provincial levels across the country. 

They typically outline when to activate and deactivate HARS according to Environment Canada's heat warning criteria, and outline a communication plan for the public on what they can do to prevent heat-related illnesses.

That's followed by an evaluation of the program, which will look at how many people experienced heat illnesses, in order to focus on prevention during future events.