As heat waves continue to wreak havoc on crops, livestock, and fish stocks, and spark wildfires throughout the province, it's clearly time for municipalities to put more concrete plans into place to address the dangers to residents, too.
Sweltering heat has broken records across western Canada.
We have faced heat warnings – generally issued by Environment Canada when temperatures reach 29 C and above – four times so far this summer.
The heat may mean fewer mosquitoes, but it poses significant health risks, especially for those who are homeless, seniors, infants, young children, and people with existing health conditions.
Heat illnesses rise during temperature spikes, which can exacerbate illness or lead to heat-related deaths.
The World Health Organization has identified heat waves as one of the most dangerous of natural hazards, but they rarely receive enough attention because their death tolls and destruction are not always immediately obvious.
What is obvious is St. Albert's lack of a formalized plan.
The city needs a clear and well-communicated plan to keep residents safe, especially those who don't have access to air-conditioned spaces where they can find refuge from extreme temperatures.
Besides the piece on the city's website which offers free busing during heat waves and a list of air-conditioned locations where residents can seek refuge, there isn't much beyond a referral to the St. Albert Food Bank and Community Village, a local non-profit that supports residents with food, shelter, and other basic needs.
We can, and should, do better than that.
A paper published in July by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked at the current impact of the climate crisis across the U.S. and made recommendations that include the development and implementation of "heat-response plans."
These plans formally identify at-risk neighbourhoods and populations, and what actions need to take place, including providing potable water and cooling centres.
Edmonton activated its more formalized plan, or "extreme weather response," at the height of the heat wave at the end of June, which involved access to facilities for shelter, loads of bottled water, and a pilot to turn several fire hydrants into water stations.
It's a step in the right direction, and one St. Albert must take even further.
As a municipality in a heat-affected region, we need a well-crafted plan that is implemented as soon as a heat warning is declared. Use of a reverse-911 system is ideal, as it reaches many people in a hurry.
Cooling centres are a crucial part, but the city also has to overcome the barriers, which the Centers for Disease Control identified in a 2017 study, such as transportation or fear of leaving pets behind in the heat. Education is also key, as is opening schools and community centres right in neighbourhoods where residents are least likely to have air conditioning, so they don't have to go far for relief.
Recent stories in The Gazette have highlighted climate change's far-reaching effects, in both urban centres and rural communities. Several have declared agricultural states of emergency due to the extreme heat and the dismal state of crops.
Experts say heat waves are part of a long-term warming trend, and our sweltering summers will be, too.
If that's the case, it's time for St. Albert to craft a more detailed plan. Actual lives could depend on it.
Editorials are the consensus view of the St. Albert Gazette's editorial board.
