Extreme Heat and Community Housing
Prioritizing extreme heat adaption for vulnerable Canadians
Though Canada is better known for its cold climate, extreme heat is increasingly prevalent across the country, significantly impacting the suitability and livability of community housing. Cities are particularly vulnerable due to the urban heat island effect.
Through the Action Canada Fellowship, we explored how policymakers can better protect community housing tenants in urban areas from more frequent and severe extreme heat events.
We are calling on all orders of government to:
Create coordinated heat responses plans to protect community housing tenants
Adjust government policies and programs to prioritize extreme heat adaptation
Leverage holistic land use and urban design practices to reduce the impact of urban heat islands on community housing
Generate more private investment to support the development of climate resilient community housing
“To tackle extreme heat effectively, we cannot only focus on air conditioning. Changing behaviours to protect the most vulnerable and working with nature to keep us cool must also be part of our toolbox.”
Joanna Eyquem, PGeo. ENV SP. CWEM. CEnv., Managing Director, Climate-Resilient Infrastructure, Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation
Action Canada Fellowship
The Action Canada Fellowship is a 10-month public policy leadership program that aims to enhance emerging leaders’ understanding of the country and develop the skills necessary to tackle the public policy challenges facing our nation. Each year Action Canada chooses a critical policy issue for Fellows to explore over the course of term. Working in task forces, the Fellows engage with experts and stakeholders across the country to prepare a report identifying policy solutions with the aim of contributing to national dialogue on key challenges facing Canadians. The theme for 2022/23 is housing.