Extreme heat persists in southern Quebec, central and southern Ontario, as well as much of the Atlantic provinces, where maximum temperatures of 30 to 35 degrees Celsius and a humidex factor in the 40 were recorded on Wednesday.
The hot weather is expected to continue until Friday, according to Environment Canada, with nighttime temperatures remaining above 20 degrees.
Jennifer Smith, national warning preparedness meteorologist at Environment and Climate Change Canada, said such an intense heat wave has rarely been observed this early in June
and is similar to the worst heatwaves usually seen in July and August.
The weather incredibly wet
and relatively high nighttime temperatures make this week’s weather particularly challenging, Smith said Wednesday at a news conference.
People aren’t able to cool off for an extended period of time, she said. It will be hot and humid for a few days in eastern Canada.
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A man cools off near the river in Lachine.
Photo: The Canadian Press / Christine Muschi
According to the meteorologist, some temperature records have already been broken with this heat wave and others could fall.
In Montreal, the highest temperature recorded in June was 35 degrees, a record set in 1964. On Wednesday, it was almost equaled as the thermometer reached 34 degrees.
Additional measures and recommendations
Toronto and Ottawa have both extended the opening hours of some outdoor pools until Thursday. In Montreal, public buildings, including libraries and cultural centers, are also open longer than usual.
The Quebec Ministry of Health recommends that people spend at least two hours a day in an air-conditioned space, take at least one cool shower or bath and limit physical activity.
Environment Canada also reminds people to check on their loved ones, especially those who have a disability, mental illness or live alone.
Éric Lavigne, scientific researcher at Health Canada, was keen to point out that heat stroke is a medical emergency
and that the current episode of extreme heat may pose serious health risks.
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In Montreal, construction workers eat popsicles to beat the heat.
Photo: The Canadian Press / Christine Muschi
The heat wave extended to certain regions of Quebec which have rarely experienced such high temperatures at this time of year, notably in Rimouski, in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, where the average daily temperature in June is 21 degrees. The temperature in this town of around 50,000 inhabitants could reach 32 degrees on Wednesday.
Spokesman Frédéric Savard indicated that the city’s outdoor swimming pools will open earlier than usual this year, but still not before this weekend. This heat is exceptional for Rimouski, he stressed. These are temperatures that we usually see in July or August.
He added that if this heat becomes more common in June, the City should consider opening its pools earlier in the season.
Power outages and misinformation
Extreme temperatures did not prevent a power outage in Pointe-Claire, a suburb of Montreal, which left 1,600 Hydro-Québec customers without power Wednesday morning, including in a residence for the elderly.
Hydro-Québec spokesperson Caroline Des Rosiers said the work could not be delayed, but added that the utility had taken steps to reduce the impact on residents, including starting early in the day , or at 7 a.m. The outage ended around 1 p.m.
Some residents of the Chartwell Le Wellesley seniors’ residence in Pointe-Claire were bussed to an air-conditioned shopping center to cool off during the power outage. A spokesperson for the center said they returned home safely once power was restored.
Meanwhile, a new study from the Quebec National Research Center shows high temperatures in the province are associated with 470 deaths and 225 hospitalizations each summer.
I think this really gives a solid argument to say that we need to put in place measures to reduce this burden, which is going to be heavier and heavier.
argued the lead author of the study, Jérémie Boudreault, of the National Institute of Scientific Research.
The Maritimes are not spared
In New Brunswick, temperatures are expected to reach 30 to 35 degrees during the day — up to 45 with the humidx factor — and between 18 and 23 degrees at night.
Kate Wright, spokesperson for the Department of Social Development, said New Brunswick has regulations that require retirement homes to be equipped with a system capable of maintaining a minimum temperature of 23 degrees.
No maximum is set because individual needs may vary, particularly for older people, who prefer warmer temperatures, she said in a statement.
