Take Action to Prevent Heat Dome Deaths

The 2021 Heat Dome in B.C. from June 25-July 1, 2021 was the worst weather-related disaster in Canadian history, resulting in 619 heat-related deaths and a total of 740 excess deaths during that period. 

Basic climate justice and human decency requires that we do everything possible to avoid hundreds and thousands of more preventable deaths in future heat waves. 

The three specific demands of B.C. Heat Dome Action are: 

• Immediately fund and/or distribute portable air conditioners as needed to low-income people to prevent further deaths due to heat during the summer months. 

• Revise the Residential Tenancy Act to set maximum indoor temperatures at 23C and ensure stop to any interference from landlords to installation of air conditioning. 

• Fund and facilitate opening of properly equipped and accessible 24-hour Cooling Centres in all neighbourhoods, accessible by free public transit during extreme heat. 

We are asking for people to write to their local MLAs and other representatives to demand action to prevent future heat-related deaths. These three demands are the bare minimum that must be done - and we believe these are winnable demands.

About our three main demands

Immediately fund and/or distribute portable air conditioners as needed

• Actions in neighbouring jurisdictions show the B.C. government can and must fund the cooling devices people need. In Washington State, for instance, governments have plans to deliver 23,000 air conditioning units to at-risk residents. 

• Housing is a human right, and housing is health care. If people are living in inadequate and dangerous housing, governments are failing in their basic responsibilities to provide adequate housing. 

• Air conditioning is an urgent solution, but longer-term we also need heat/cooling pumps installed and retrofits where needed on all rental and social housing. 

Revise the Residential Tenancy Act to set maximum indoor temperatures at 23C

• If minimum temperatures can be regulated to ensure safety of tenants, so can maximum temperatures. 

• If the private sector will not make rental housing units safe, governments can bring this housing into the public or non-profit sector and ensure tenant safety. 

Fund and facilitate opening of properly equipped and accessible 24-hour Cooling Centres

• Public transit should be free, especially during heat waves - so people can get to cooling centres. 

• Cooling centres should be open 24/7 during heat waves, and people should be provided with adequate food and accommodations as well as safe places to keep their belongings. 

• Needless to say, “Street Sweeps” targeting unhoused people and anyone sleeping outside should be called off entirely, especially during heat waves when people can die if forced back into their unsafe housing units. 

Free product installation and energy coaching. June 27, 2024 - The Government of B.C. will provide $10 million in funding to expand our Energy Conservation Assistance Program to include portable air conditioners. This funding will go towards installing 8,000 AC units over the next three years for low-income and medically heat-vulnerable customers. Check back soon for more details.

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