Toronto's Heat Wave Exposes Gaps in City's Response to Climate Change

Strategic Insights -

As the City of Toronto struggles to protect residents and workers from the accelerating threats of climate change, a recent heat wave highlighted the city's weaknesses in its heat relief strategy. The incident, which saw 19 pool closures due to staffing shortages and safety concerns, has sparked a heated debate between Mayor Olivia Chow and Premier Doug Ford, with neither side fully accurate in their claims.

Key Takeaways:

  • The City of Toronto had been warned about the dangers of heat on lifeguards four years ago, after an intense heat wave in July 2021 led to a work refusal by lifeguards at the Pine Point outdoor pool in Etobicoke.
  • The city's heat relief strategy has "serious gaps" according to Mayor Chow, who has introduced a motion at council to address these issues.
  • Pools are a relatively minor part of the city's heat relief strategy, and actually pose a risk to the most vulnerable residents, including unhoused people, infants, and young children, and the elderly.
  • The Ministry of Labour has the ability to issue stop-work orders if inspectors deem it necessary, but this did not appear to have happened on Sunday.
  • The city has the third-most allowed WSIB claims for heat-related illness and injuries in the province over the past 10 summers.
  • Lifeguard retention problems have been a long-standing issue, with the union bargaining for higher wages to address this issue and allow for adequate staffing levels.
  • The city has increased lifeguard staffing levels to over 7,200 this year, and installed humidex measuring equipment at all locations.

Statistics:

  • 19 Toronto pools were closed for anywhere between 45 minutes and almost five hours due to staffing shortages and safety concerns.
  • The city had 7,200 lifeguards this year, up from approximately 2,800 in 2021.
  • The city has had the third-most allowed WSIB claims for heat-related illness and injuries in the province over the past 10 summers.
  • A heat dome in British Columbia in 2021 killed 619 people, the deadliest weather event in Canada to date.
  • A Ministry of Labour inspector found that the city had violated provincial health and safety laws in 2021, and ordered it to "protect workers from the hazard of heat-related illness while working in the hot summer days."

Sources:

  • Newstalk 1010
  • CUPE Local 79
  • Ministry of Labour
  • Toronto Star investigation
  • Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers
  • Workplace Safety and Insurance Bureau
  • Government of Ontario