June 7 2023 –
As the summer season arrives, the City of Vancouver is reminding residents to get prepared and stay safe during hot weather.
What you can do to stay cool
When the weather gets hot, both indoor and outdoor temperatures can rise to dangerous levels. Extreme heat can cause illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke. This summer, monitor both indoor and outdoor temperatures and make a plan to stay cool. A few modifications can make a big difference, including: identifying spaces where you live that may be coolest, or installing a window air conditioner, thermal curtains, window coverings or heat pump. Indoor spaces can be hotter than outdoor so it’s important to make your indoor space cooler or find an outdoor space with lots of shade and running water.
Guidance from health partners indicates that it may be unsafe for some people at greater risk of heat illness to spend time in indoor temperatures above 26°C. The risk may increase significantly when indoor temperatures are above 31°C.
If indoor temperatures exceed 31°C, and you are unable to cool where you live, plan to go elsewhere. Visit public cooling centres in most community centres and libraries, or other air conditioned spaces such as shopping malls, movie theatres, or neighbourhood organizations. Plan to visit or stay with family, friends or neighbours who have air conditioning.
Checking on people can be life-saving
While extreme heat can impact anyone, some people are at greater risk than others and need to be prepared and supported. This includes older adults; people who live alone; people with chronic, underlying health conditions, including mental health conditions that put them at greater risk; and people with limited mobility and other disabilities.
We all have a role to play by supporting family, neighbours and friends to prepare for hot weather. Plan to regularly check on vulnerable people multiple times a day, especially in the evening, during times of extreme heat. For signs of heat-related illness, visit Health Link BC’s page on Heat-related Illness External website, opens in new tab
City resources
During the summer season, City services are available to residents to help them stay safe while they enjoy the hot weather. These include more than 200 permanent water fountains across Vancouver, additional temporary fountains added during summer months, and misting stations available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When hot weather becomes dangerous, we add services to help protect the health and safety of those most susceptible to heat. This includes activating cooling centres, monitoring spaces for people suffering from heat-related illness, implementing a support plan for tenants in our non-market housing facilities, and providing heat safety information and other supports like Cool Kits External website, opens in new tab to community partners and SROs.
The City is working in partnership with Vancouver Coastal Health, as well as community organizations like Neighbourhood Houses and urban Indigenous organizations, to help connect those susceptible to heat to critical information and supports.
Stay informed
Find places to stay cool or get the most up-to-date information by checking vancouver.ca/hotweather or the City’s social media channels (Twitter, Instagram and Facebook).
Additionally, download the Alertable app to receive alerts during extreme heat emergencies with information on City of Vancouver services and resources. To download Alertable, visit vancouver.ca/get-alerts.
For more information on health PDF file (9.4 MB) and safety tips during the summer season, please visit the Vancouver Coastal Health website External website, opens in new tab