Another day of punishing heat and humidity in Ontario, Quebec and the four Atlantic provinces is shedding light on the situation for vulnerable Canadians who struggle to access cooling.
Heat warnings from Environment Canada stretch from the country’s western to eastern coasts today, with temperatures expected to reach the low to mid-30s and humidex values at around 40 C.
Canada's weather agency recommends limiting time spent outdoors in direct sunlight, monitoring for signs of heat exhaustion and staying in spaces with air conditioning like public cooling centres.
But anti-poverty advocates say it is difficult for many vulnerable people, including those facing homelessness, to follow those recommendations.
ACSA community services in Toronto's Scarborough neighbourhood typically sees an uptick in people accessing help during extreme weather events.
Executive director Lee Soda says there need to be more indoor spaces in the city where people can comfortably find relief during periods of severe weather.
"Being able to come inside when it's really hot outside and when it's really cold outside to meet our basic needs is not a privilege. It's a right for all of us," Soda said.
The City of Toronto has a list of cooler spaces around the city where residents can beat the heat.
But clients at Soda's organization say most of those are public spaces such as libraries or community centres that would be open anyway and have a closing time early in the evening, and some have faced accusations of loitering after spending time inside.
Clayton, 45, who asked that his last name not be used for privacy reasons, said his experience being unhoused during the summer has been "terrible," especially when it comes to finding cooler places where he can get relief from the heat.
"The city wants to seem like we have a fantastic plan in place, but then it's like, where do you go after 8:30 p.m. when it's still 30 some-odd degrees outside?" Clayton said.
The City of Toronto did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A heat warning from Environment Canada remains in effect for all of southern Ontario, stretching north past Lake Huron and Georgian Bay and east through southern Quebec.
Hot conditions are also washing over Atlantic Canada, with most of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and parts of Newfoundland and Labrador also under a heat warning.
In British Columbia, heat warnings are also in place for most of Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, as well as southern B.C's Fraser Canyon, South Thompson and South Okanagan areas.
Environment Canada says the heat warning is expected to continue throughout the week, likely ending on Wednesday for many areas.
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Laura Proctor
