Item - 2011.HL6.3
Tracking Status
- This item was considered by Board of Health on July 26, 2011 and was adopted with amendments.
HL6.3 - Protecting Vulnerable People from Health Impacts of Extreme Heat
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- All
Board Decision
The Board of Health:
1. Requested that the Medical Office of Health work with the Toronto Environment Office, Office of Emergency Management, and Shelter, Support, and Housing Administration to integrate heat-specific emergency plans into City emergency plans, including identifying the risk of extended heat emergencies in Toronto, specifying protocols for a heat emergency to be identified and declared, ensuring broad access to heat-related resources and tools prepared by TPH and others, and increasing the capacity of local organizations during such an event.
2. Requested that the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario) research and develop evidence-based guidelines for how much cooling is adequate to achieve a health benefit, including recommended temperature and duration of exposure to a cool environment.
3. Requested that the Director of Urban Forestry, in consultation with the Medical Officer of Health, utilize heat vulnerability maps when prioritizing tree planting activities in the City.
4. Requested that the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing take action as members of the Ontario Regional Adaptation Collaborative to enhance access to cooling for vulnerable people by:
a. exploring provincial legislation and municipal standards, codes, and other by-laws to identify feasible policy options to support sustainable access to cooling for vulnerable groups; and
b. exploring incentive and support programs for low-income people to access cooling.
5. Requested the provincial government to consider amendments to:
a. The Residential Tenancies Act to incorporate requirements that ensure access to a cool location within existing premises; and
b. The Building Code Act to incorporate requirements for new long-term care homes, retirement residences and new multi-residential buildings to ensure air conditioning or access to a cool location within the respective premises.
6. Referred the recommendations of the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee to the Medical Officer of Health for his review.
7. Forwarded the report (July 6, 2011) from the Medical Officer of Health and the attached report to local and provincial organizations engaged in hot weather preparedness and response, planning for climate change and its impacts on vulnerable populations, and advocating for tenant rights, including the members of the Ontario Regional Adaptation Collaborative, the Clean Air Partnership, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, the Toronto Drop-in Network, the Ontario Climate Consortium, the Canadian Red Cross, the Ontario Medical Association, the Ontario Public Health Association, the Association of Ontario Municipalities, and The Federation of Metro Tenants' Associations, to encourage their endorsement and action.
Origin
Summary
Each summer, Toronto Public Health (TPH) co-ordinates a Hot Weather Response (HWR) with the goal of reducing heat-related illness and death in Toronto, especially among vulnerable groups. An evaluation of the program conducted with Health Canada suggests that TPH is effective in communicating with the public and agencies providing hot weather response services to clients. Both groups report high knowledge of times when Heat Alerts or Extreme Heat Alerts are called, the risks associated with hot weather, and key protective actions, such as going to a cool place.
However, recent heat vulnerability mapping and an access to cooling survey by TPH indicate that low-income groups and renters in older high-rise apartment buildings are less likely to have access to in-home cooling and experience more difficulty accessing cool places. Enabling access to cooling for tenants in high-rise apartment buildings is complicated by legislative requirements for safety, aging infrastructure, lack of health-based guidance for adequate cooling, and the energy demands and air pollution emissions of air conditioning. Policy options are needed at the provincial and local levels that could feasibly ensure sustainable access to cooling for all.
Climate change is expected to lead to more hot weather in Toronto, increasing the possibility of an extended heat emergency. The response needed to such an emergency is beyond the scope of the current HWR Plan. Collaboration between City Divisions and provincial agencies is needed to define the risk of experiencing extended heat emergencies in Toronto, specify protocols for a heat emergency to be identified and declared, ensure broad access to heat-related resources and tools prepared by TPH and others, and increase the capacity of local organizations during such an event.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2011/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-39468.pdf
(July 6, 2011) Attachment - Protecting Vulnerable People from Health Impacts of Extreme Heat, Toronto Public Health, July 2011
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2011/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-39469.pdf
Communications
(July 26, 2011) Submission from Tina Shapiro, Fair Fare Coalition (HL.New.HL6.3.2)
Speakers
Tina Shapiro, Employment and Income Support Co-ordinator, Sistering and Member of the Fair Fare Coalition (Submission Filed)
Motions
That the Board of Health request the provincial government to consider amendments to:
1. The Residential Tenancies Act to incorporate requirements that ensure access to a cool location within existing premises.
2. The Building Code Act to incorporate requirements for new long-term care homes, retirement residences and new multi-residential buildings to ensure air conditioning or access to a cool location within the respective premises.
That the Board of Health refer the recommendations of the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee to the Medical Officer of Health for his review.