Proposal Inspiration:

In 2021, Canada was struck by a tragic event: a heat dome that claimed the lives of nearly 700 people. At that time, I left my job to pursue a PhD on this highly timely subject. Five years of hard work of modelling, quantifying and projecting the risks associated with extreme heat brought me to one conclusion: we have in hand all of the scientific evidence needed to tackle this emerging challenge, and yet public policies remain fragmented, or even nonexistent, to protect society from this growing risk. Drawing on this experience and for the purpose of this award, I propose a concrete and innovative public policy designed to better protect our people and our economy while strengthening our collective resilience against extreme heat.

Connected Conference Theme

Civil Society, Public Trust, Social Cohesion, and Democratic Resilience

Title of Policy Proposal

The Right to a Cool Environment During Extreme Heat Events

Need/Opportunity for Action

In 2021, Canada experienced the deadliest weather event in its recent history: a heat dome that claimed nearly 700 lives in British Columbia and resulted in $5.5 billion in health-related costs [1]. Most of these deaths occurred inside people’s homes, at a time when no regulation existed to set safe maximum indoor temperature thresholds [2]. With climate change, extreme heat events will only increase in Canada, which is warming two to three times faster than the global average [3]. To limit the health and the economic consequences of extreme heat, it is essential that public policies reflect this new reality. Although research shows that most heat-related health impacts are preventable [4], the situation on the ground is a different story: existing measures remain fragmented across multiple actors (federal, provincial, municipal, health authorities) resulting in uneven levels of protection among Canada, particularly for the most vulnerable populations. For example, Environment and Climate Change Canada issues heat alerts, but these warnings are only based on outdoor temperatures. Additionally, while some provinces have implemented urban greening programs, their impact on reducing heat-related risks has been limited [5]. Finally, some landlords are still permitted to prohibit the installation of air conditioners despite steadily rising temperatures across Canada [6]. Therefore, it appears necessary  to establish a new and clear policy framework to reduce the health and economic risks posed by extreme heat in Canada in the context of climate change.

Proposed Solution/Policy Change:

I propose the establishment of a national policy that protects the right to a cool environment during periods of extreme heat. In a northern country like Canada, it would be unthinkable for people to not have access to heating during the winter season when it is essential to ensure their health and safety. However, no equivalent right exists for a cool environment in summer, despite the episodes of extreme heat that the country is facing are getting more and more frequent and intense. This “right to a cool environment” policy focuses on three core pillars.

First, barrier-free access to air conditioned, green and blue spaces must be guaranteed. This requires significant investments in greening communities, with priority given to reducing urban heat islands (UHIs). Municipalities often possess the data needed to identify UHIs within their boundaries; what is lacking is the funding to establish new green infrastructure and to protect those already existing. In addition to green spaces, clear thresholds should be established for extending the opening hours (including, when necessary, overnight access with emergency sleeping accommodations) of air-conditioned municipal and commercial buildings during periods of extreme heat. Moreover, access to nature should be improved by allowing open and freedom of transit across private property and ensuring access to lakes and rivers, as Norway has already implemented with its “allemannsretten” (freedom to roam). Finally, in partnership with municipalities, public and accessible transportation  should be provided free of charge during extreme heatwaves to access these naturally cool and air-conditioned environments.

Second, maximum indoor temperature thresholds should be established for residential buildings, healthcare facilities, schools, and workplaces. These thresholds would require owners to implement the necessary measures to maintain safe indoor temperatures throughout both summer and winter, while also prohibiting them, by law, from restricting the installation of ventilation or air conditioning units. This could also entail modifying, relocating, or postponing school or work activities during periods of extreme heat, as is already regulated for certain work activities by provincial labour standards. Finally, healthcare facilities should also be required to maintain a sufficient number of cooled spaces that comply with these maximum temperature thresholds in order to protect the sick and vulnerable people during heatwaves.

Third, building codes and urban planning policies should be updated to ensure that future buildings are more resilient to temperature extremes. This can be achieved through passive design strategies, such as optimizing building orientation, installing shutters or solar shading, and increasing tree canopy coverage around buildings. In addition, energy-efficient technologies such as heat pumps and geothermal systems, powered by clean energy, should become standard in new construction when passive measures alone are insufficient to maintain thermal comfort. Finally, urban planning regulations should also require the replacement of any trees removed during new developments, both in urban and rural areas. A tax on impermeable surfaces may be another interesting avenue to discourage systematic deforestation linked to new construction and the artificial creation of UHIs, while at the same time reducing the impacts of extreme rainfall events by encouraging the development of sponge cities.

This ambitious national policy would ensure that provincial and municipal partners have the financial resources necessary to mitigate the impacts of extreme temperatures on public health and the economy. The effectiveness of these measures has already been proven [7]. However, a lack of funding and of political will continue to hinder their implementation on a large scale.

Novelty/Creativity of Proposed Solution/Policy Change:

Extreme heat is Canada’s new reality that emerged over the past 15 years with global warming. Unfortunately, neither public policies nor the regulatory framework have yet been adapted to this new context. We must not wait for another tragedy like the 2021 heat dome in British Columbia to unfold before implementing the necessary changes. Fortunately, the solutions are already well known and we need only the political will to put them into practice.

Led by the federal government and supported by provincial and municipal governments, this policy framework would deliver substantial health and economic benefits during periods of extreme heat, while also generating other co-benefits to improving well-being, physical activity, economic productivity, academic success, and more. Moreover, several of the proposed measures, such as urban greening, also address other environmental challenges, including flooding and air pollution.

The originality of this proposal lies in its integrated approach across multiple sectors and levels of government, recognizing that no single, isolated measure will be sufficient. Together, this package of proposed actions and regulations would substantially reduce the risks associated with extreme heat for generations to come.

Lay Abstract:

Climate change is reshaping the risks facing Canada. While historically well adapted to cold temperatures, Canadians must also have the right to cool environments in the face of current and future heatwaves, as is already the case in hotter countries. A new national policy framework for adapting to extreme heat, supported by provincial and municipal governments, is therefore necessary to prevent the future tragedies, as the 2021 heat dome in British Columbia gave us a glimpse of, with more than 700 victims.

This public policy proposal is built around three priorities for action: (1) guaranteeing barrier-free access to cool, green, and blue spaces; (2) establishing maximum indoor temperature thresholds for homes, schools, healthcare facilities and workplaces; and (3) updating standards for new buildings to ensure they are better adapted to extreme heat.

This new policy framework has a real potential to limit the health and economic impacts of extreme heat, now and in the decades to come. Moreover, it would generate additional co-benefits, including enhancing well-being and health, economic productivity and academic success, all while strengthening Canada’s resilience to other climate-related hazards such as extreme rainfall and air pollution.

Bio:

Jérémie Boudreault has a multidisciplinary background in actuarial science, statistical hydrology, data science, and environmental health. After completing his PhD at INRS and his postdoctoral fellowship at McGill University, he joined the School of actuarial science at Université Laval as an assistant professor.

His research focuses on modelling the health and economic impacts of climate-related hazards, such as extreme heat, using innovative statistical methods and artificial intelligence. Through his work, he aims to transform complex data into practical knowledge and tools to support decision makers, inform public policy, and strengthen our resilience to climate extremes.