Hot and humid summer in the forecast for Quebec

Heat records have been broken for several years, and the upcoming summer is expected to be hot and humid. Hundreds of heat-related deaths unfortunately occur each year across the province. Santé Québec has been monitoring extreme heat since May 15 and is ready to take action with local public health authorities.

According to the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), there are 10s of thousands of hospitalizations and calls to Info-Santé related to extreme heat each year. And the upcoming summer will be hot and humid in Quebec, according to MétéoMédia forecasts.

There’s even talk of a heat dome over La Belle Province, Ontario, and the Maritimes. This is a meteorological phenomenon caused by a huge mass of hot air trapped by high atmospheric pressure.

Dr. Claudel Pétrin-Desrosiers, president of the Quebec Association of Physicians for the Environment (AQME), points out that almost everyone is vulnerable to heat, even healthy people.

Among the most vulnerable are babies, young children, pregnant women, the elderly—especially those over 65—people taking one or more medications, and those living with chronic illnesses or cardiovascular disease, explains Dr. Pétrin-Desrosiers. There are also workers who work outdoors and in enclosed spaces.

“Our location can also play a big role in our vulnerability to heat. When we live in a neighborhood that’s less green, or if we’re next to a busy road, we know that roads give off heat. And also the very architecture of our buildings—not everyone is fortunate enough to have access to air conditioning or a ventilated home. This is something to consider,” she says.

“And finally, I would say that even young people who consider themselves healthy, but who are athletic, are considered at risk because they often do high-intensity activities in the heat, which can have consequences related to heat stroke.”

In an email sent to The Canadian Press, Santé Québec explains that the number of emergency room visits is monitored annually by both individual facilities and the province to track the impacts of heat waves on the population. If an increase is observed in a region, it is recommended that the plan established for this purpose by the local public health department be implemented.

Santé Québec specifies that it is up to municipalities to implement measures to limit the impacts of heat on the most vulnerable people. For example, they can extend the opening hours of swimming pools and public places with air conditioning, such as libraries.

A cool place for at least two hours

Dr. Pétrin-Desrosiers highlights two measures to counter the heat that are particularly effective for seniors. First, have those around you call regularly. “Because when you experience heat shock, you become confused, and you no longer have the right reflexes to hydrate yourself or call for help. One of the most powerful safety nets is to validate the safety of the people you love, the people you know around you,” explains the doctor.

Second, seniors must have access to a place where they can cool off for at least two hours a day. “That’s the time it takes for the body to rid itself of the harmful effects of extreme heat,” says Dr. Pétrin-Desrosiers.

She laments that some hospitals are struggling to maintain air conditioning. She also warns that the first heat waves are the most deadly for the population. The further into summer we get, the more our bodies seem to acclimatize to the heat, she says.

“We know that in the summer, people suffer from the heat. Some die and some end up in the hospital for several weeks. That’s a known reality in Montreal. What worries me is that we’re not yet fully addressing the cause. We could have all the air conditioners we can, but if it continues to get hotter, there will still be people who will die from the heat,” denounces the AQME president.

For her, we can’t talk about increased exposure to heat without mentioning our dependence on fossil fuels. Dr. Pétrin-Desrosiers criticizes the temporary solution of air conditioners. These devices reduce the temperature in a home, but they release the heat outside. “It’s a small strategy that has beneficial, but limited, effects. And our policy plans for dealing with heat should be much more focused on architecture, the choice of materials in building construction, planting trees in strategic locations, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” she concludes.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews