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Taylor Fry drinks water with Christian Leardini of Bellissimo Roofing and Exteriors while working a roofing job in the sweltering heat in Ottawa on June 18. Blair Gable/Reuters
Environment Canada issued a special air quality statement for Toronto and the surrounding area on Tuesday. A heat wave that has triggered health warnings in central and maritime Canada is also contributing to the increase in air pollution.
The weather service said the hot, sunny weather is expected to increase surface ozone concentrations north of Lake Ontario.
Meteorologist Gerald Chen said this meant people could be at risk of inhaling higher levels of pollution, which would be particularly difficult for older people, children and those with existing respiratory conditions.
He said the air quality health index is expected to reach moderate to high risk levels.
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Environment Canada has warned of dangerously high temperatures this week in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, with daytime highs likely to reach 35°C and high humidity making it feel like 40°C. Heat warnings were issued for much of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia on Tuesday, with temperatures expected to reach 30°C in Fredericton.
The same weather system is driving record temperatures across the central and eastern U.S., with about 80 million people from Indiana to New England under heat watches or warnings.
Officials have warned people to take precautions to stay cool and stay hydrated during heatwaves, advice that Cheng echoed.
“During the hottest parts of the day, it's really important to stay hydrated and avoid exercise,” he said. “Close your curtains and blinds and make sure your vulnerable neighbours are OK because it can be a very difficult time.”
The Toronto School Board said it is taking measures to keep students safe, especially in the majority of schools that do not have central air conditioning.
School board spokeswoman Shari Schwartz Maltz said 177 of the district's 582 schools have central air conditioning systems. In addition, 243 schools recently installed larger air conditioning units to provide cooling centers for school libraries and gyms. The remaining schools have smaller units that provide cooling for libraries.
She said school staff are being encouraged to turn off lights and computers to reduce heat indoors, and recess may be canceled if there is no shade on school grounds, or students may sit under trees if the school has a lot of them.
“Staff are closely monitoring the children, especially the young ones, making sure everyone is hydrated and encouraging them to take hydration breaks,” Schwartz-Malts said.
Ontario's Independent Electricity System Operator said it has enough power supplies to meet the extra demand caused by the heat wave.
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A spokesman for Ontario's Ministry of Long-Term Care said all of the province's care homes are air-conditioned, except for two that are undergoing redevelopment.
Some municipalities in affected areas are opening cooling centres and directing people to public pools and splash pads to cool off, and the City of Toronto said homeless people can escape the heat at various drop-in centres, shelters and 24-hour rest areas across the city.
A spokesperson for the City of Montreal said each borough is drawing up a list of places where people can cool off, including swimming pools, which will open ahead of schedule.
Environment Canada's summer seasonal forecast, released earlier this month, predicted a warmer-than-normal season across the country, with high temperatures most likely to occur everywhere in eastern Manitoba.
Climate change is making such severe weather more frequent, with last year being the hottest year on record globally.
Canada has seen a string of deadly heat waves in recent years, most notably the 2021 heatwave in British Columbia that killed more than 600 people. A 2018 heatwave killed 86 people in Quebec, 66 of them in Montreal.
With files from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press
