These Quebec cities are projected to endure "extreme heat" in the future
As we continue to see and feel the impacts of climate change across the country, new research looks into its effects on Quebec.
The research from the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, in partnership with the University of Waterloo, has found that several Quebec cities are at most risk of extreme heat in the future.
The research lays out three main indicators of extreme heat:
- Very hot days over 30°C
- Warmest maximum temperature
- Average heat-wave length
Around the province, Montreal, St. Jean sur-Richelieu, and Salaberry de Valleyfield are projected to be most exposed to extreme heat between 2051 and 2080.
According to the report, communities neighbouring these locations will likely be similarly exposed. And communities outside the areas identified may also be at risk of extreme heat events.
Map of Metropolitan Areas and smaller communities where projected extreme heat indicators are most severe in 2051-2080/University of Waterloo
The report from April 2022, “Irreversible Extreme Heat: Protecting Canadians and Communities from a Lethal Future,” looks at what Canadians can do right now to reduce the risks of extreme heat in the future.
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The report suggests that while many communities have started adapting to extreme heat conditions, urgent action is still required.
“Health professionals have a central role to play, and a wealth of resources is provided by Health Canada and provincial health organizations. Several actions can only be implemented by those who own property. Tenants and others with fewer resources available to adapt to heat will have fewer options and are often most at risk; these vulnerable groups require specific support,” reads the report.
In the years ahead, it’s also recommended that emergency plans for extreme-heat events should be developed with tenants, alongside the adaptation plan for the building.
Emergency planning should consider:
• Cooling rooms or mobile cooling systems, particularly for vulnerable residents in
multi-unit residential buildings
• Arrangements to provide drinking water
• How to ensure the uninterrupted operation of critical building infrastructure
• How to operate during power outages
• A communications plan that includes reaching out to vulnerable residents
To learn more, check out the full climate report online.
Back in January, Environment Canada concluded that 2021 was the warmest recorded year in Montreal since the city began tracking weather records in 1871.
With files from Sarah Anderson