Hello everyone,

 

Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a Special Weather Statement for an early season heat event starting Saturday, June 7th and going into early next week. This is not a heat warning and temperatures are not expected to reach heat warning thresholds. However, it will be the first hot weather this year and there can still be impacts due to lack of acclimatization.

 

When the weather gets hot, both indoor and outdoor temperatures can become unsafe. Indoor temperatures above 26°C can be dangerous for some higher risk populations and 31°C or higher inside can be dangerous to most people. Spending time in cool and air-conditioned spaces and drinking plenty of water is the best way to prevent heat-related illness.

 

Who is most affected by hot weather?

  • Older adults, aged 60 years or older

  • People who are socially isolated or live alone

  • People with pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or respiratory disease

  • People with mental illness such as schizophrenia, depression, or anxiety

  • People who use certain drugs, including alcohol

  • People with limited mobility, spinal cord injuries, or other disabilities

  • People who are experiencing homelessness or marginal housing

  • Residents of buildings without adequate cooling

  • Workers in hot environments

  • People who are pregnant

  • Infants and young children

 

Resources and tips for hot weather safety for you to use and share:

  • The most up-to-date information can be found on vancouver.ca/hotweather or the City’s social media channels (X, Instagram and Facebook). 

  • Cooling Centres and some other City supports are not activated until heat warning thresholds are met, but misting stations and additional drinking fountains are operational 24/7. Some community centres and most public library branches have air-conditioned spaces that are open regular hours for people to cool down during the summer.

  • Printable posters and maps as well as social media graphics are available in the City’s top 12 languages on vancouver.ca/heatinfo. Please note the digital map is up to date, but we are still working on updating a couple of small changes for the 2025 printable maps which should be ready and uploaded to the website soon.

  • For signs of heat-related illness, visit Health Link BC's page on heat-related illness.

  • Perform wellness checks on days with high temperatures and the days after: Heat-check-in-support-framework.pdf.

  • Download the Alertable app to receive alerts during extreme heat emergencies with information on City of Vancouver services and resources. 

 

NEW - Shining a Light on Sun Safety Initiative from Save Your Skin Foundation (SYSF)

  • SYSF is introducing an initiative aimed at educating children on the importance of sun safety and skin cancer prevention.

  • The initiative features children’s books, posters, pamphlets, and colouring pages that highlight key sun safety practices. You can view both books and other resources here:

  • Request FREE printed copies of these educational materials to distribute by emailing laura@saveyourskin.ca

 

Please let me know if you have any questions. As always, thank you for all of the work you do to keep communities safe.

 

Cheers,

Sarah and Katia

Sarah Hunn (she/her)

Senior Resilience Specialist

Vancouver Emergency Management Agency | City of Vancouver

C: 236.818.0707 |  Sarah.Hunn@vancouver.ca

I am grateful to live and work on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations