A Call-Out from the Canadian Environmental Law Association, a not-for-profit legal body dedicated to environmental protection
Posted July 2nd 2024 on Niagara At Large
Extreme heat is more than just an inconvenience – it’s a serious health hazard.
High temperatures can lead to heat-related illnesses and exacerbate existing health conditions, especially for people with disabilities, seniors, children, socially isolated individuals and lower-income people.
CELA is calling for provincial and municipal action to recognize the inequitable impacts of climate change and extreme heat.
In Ontario, Bill 198, Ontario Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Act, 2024, recently had its first reading.
If passed, it would set out the procedures for creating, implementing, and financially supporting a Strategic Action Plan “to ensure that Ontario citizens, communities, infrastructure and natural environment are protected from the risks and impacts of climate change”.
Bill 198 seeks to address some of the worst impacts of extreme heat, in particular for low-income tenants with rental units that are much too hot to be safe and outdoor workers. CELA urges all parties to support the bill and take action to protect our communities from extreme heat.
This includes having protective measures in place such as maximum temperature bylaws at the municipal level that ensure that indoor environments remain safe and comfortable, regardless of external weather conditions.
CELA has been working with the Toronto Heat Safety Coalition to advocate for a maximum temperature by-law that would set a maximum indoor temperature inside rental units of 26 degrees C.
The City of Hamilton is looking to implement a maximum temperature bylaw to protect tenants in the city, following the unanimous motion in 2023 to study how to implement the bylaw.
For this summer, it is also seeking to expand access to free air conditioning as a discretionary benefit for eligible OW and ODSP recipients.
For information on the Canadian Environmental Law Association and its programs, click on – https://www.cela.ca/ .
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