Canada is warming at twice the global rate and many Canadian cities, such as Toronto, Montreal, Kelowna, and Regina, are at risk of seeing at least four times as many days per year with temperatures greater than 30 degrees Celsius. Urban areas are vulnerable to the impact of extreme heat events due to the urban heat island effect, which is an urban or metropolitan area that is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas due to human activities. This, combined with the fact that residents of community housing are at a heightened risk for heat-related morbidity and mortality, poses significant risks to human life and wellbeing.
The 2021 British Columbia heat dome led to 619 heat-related deaths, 98% of which occurred inside peoples’ homes. Seniors 70 years of age and older and people with chronic physical and mental conditions represented a disproportionate number of the deaths at 67% and 91%, respectively. Intersecting identities place community housing tenants at a heightened risk for heat-related morbidity and mortality due to decreased adaptive capacity.
Overview of the Issue
“We have a decades-long history of dealing with housing at the building level. But that’s where the thinking ends. We need to think about housing from a community context because that’s how it affects individuals’ lifestyles and behaviors, all of which are important for climate change.”
Steve Mennill, Planning, housing finance and policy consultant & Previous Chief Climate Officer for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)