Seniors and low income earners are most vulnerable when it comes to extreme heat: UW study
'When they're exposed to extreme heat, it's not just discomfort. They can actually die,' says researcher
Lack of access to cooling among older adults and low income earners is increasing their vulnerability to the heat waves sweeping across southwestern Ontario, according to multiple studies done by the University of Waterloo.
The studies examined the danger of heat waves, especially to those without proper air conditioning. One study suggests naming heat waves in order to bring about more awareness, while another found heat waves can be more deadly than wildfires.
Blair Feltmate, head of the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, examined the effects of the heat waves and says access to cooling is a human right.
"When they're exposed to extreme heat, it's not just discomfort. They can actually die," said Feltmate.
He says the extreme heat is breaking records, and it will keep getting worse.
Seniors are the most vulnerable group, and "we need to make sure that they have at least one cool room that they can go into that has air conditioning," he said.
With a heat dome in June, an average temperature of 26.9 C in July, and an average temperature of 27 C so far in August, vulnerable Canadians are at risk. Having access to air conditioning is only the first step when staying safe.
Access to air conditioning may not solve the problem, according to Peter Crank, assistant professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Management at the University of Waterloo.
Many seniors are still living in older homes, "that haven't needed air conditioning before," said Crank.
He said many older adults have an "inability to be able to pay for or use their air conditioning without any concern" due to the cost of running the units.
Even if older adults have air conditioning units they may still face an increased risk of heat and ozone related symptoms during the summer, he said.
Crank's study of Houston, Phoenix, and Los Angeles found that central air conditioning was the most effective way to reduce heat risk.
He said policy reform is needed to ensure that people have access to central air conditioning.
Lack of air conditioning in rental units
Long-term care homes are required to have air conditioning under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act of 2021.
"All long-term care homes in Ontario, except for two that are currently undergoing redevelopment, are fully air-conditioned," the Ministry of Long Term Care said in an email to CBC News.
Lack of air conditioning in rental units can also be an issue.
Crank said there are bylaws around how cold a rental unit can get, but not around how hot a unit can get.
"Maybe we need to start picking that up as how hot can things get in summer months in those homes before there is some sort of penalty?"
Preparing for heat waves
Raising awareness around the danger of heat waves can be a challenge, but Caroline Metz, managing director of climate resilience and health at the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, has identified a way to do it.
She said naming heat waves gives them "more profile, more attention, and it gives us an easier way to talk about the event that's going to happen."
Putting a name to a heat wave encourages people to talk and prepare for it, she said. A study in Spain showed that after naming a heat wave, people were more engaged in heat safety, said Metz.
While air conditioning is important, passive air conditioning is another way to deal with extreme heat, says Feltmate.
He said that governments should be ensuring more trees for shade and putting awnings on apartments.
Another step is changing the time of day that people work. Feltmate recommends "starting early in the morning and probably finishing work by noon before the extreme, intense heat of the day hits."
He said extreme heat is "in a different category than all other manifestations of climate change."
Unlike flooding and wildfires, extreme heat can cause people to "die in very high numbers, in the hundreds and if not into the thousands."
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