The Heat Collaborative calls on the Ontario government to protect Ontarians from extreme heat

Toronto | Traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat | August 18, 2025 — The Heat Collaborative—twelve organizations deeply concerned about the health of Ontario seniors, children, workers, people with certain medical conditions or taking certain medications, tenants and the unhoused—are urgently calling on the provincial government to act to protect Ontarians from the impacts of rising temperatures. Heat is the deadliest weather event facing Canadians and is growing worse because of climate change.

Science shows that this may be one of the coolest summers for the rest of our lives as governments and industries around the world fail to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. More than 60 heat records have been broken across Canada this year, at least 10 of them in Ontario. We have had six multi-day heat warnings in the province this summer.

The laws of Ontario do not adequately protect people vulnerable to heat from the impacts of climate change. The risks are growing. “In the meantime, many people do not have access to cooling in their homes, schools, childcare facilities and workplaces and are suffering,” said Dr. Jennifer Penney, from Seniors for Climate Action Now!, a member of the Heat Collaborative.

And yet,

Ontario does not have a consistent extreme heat awareness program.
Ontario does not track or publish data on heat-related deaths and illnesses, unlike Quebec and B.C.
Ontario does not have a plan to cool old school buildings to provide a safe learning environment for students on hot days.
Ontario does not require landlords to maintain indoor temperatures in rental housing below 26°C.
Ontario does not provide incentives or supports for retrofits of rental housing with low- and moderate-income tenants to ensure access to cooling.
Ontario does not have a heat stress regulation that adequately protects workers who labour in hot conditions.
Ontario does not adequately support municipalities in implementing urban cooling strategies.

The Heat Collaborative and its member organizations call on the Ontario government to take rapid action on all of these strategies. Read more about the specific asks in the Call for Action below.

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The Heat Collaborative Calls for Action

August 18, 2025

The Heat Collaborative is a network of organizations active in Ontario on the growing problem of extreme heat and its impacts on vulnerable communities and individuals for whom we advocate. Ontario has had an unprecedented seven multi-day heat warnings this summer, along with high humidity and wildfire smoke. Many seniors, children, tenants, workers and people with chronic illnesses are suffering.

Extreme heat is not going away. With climate disruption this may well be the coldest summer for the rest of our lives.

We call on the provincial government to make extreme heat a priority, to act urgently to protect the vulnerable now and in the near future, to:

Implement a comprehensive, province-wide extreme heat awareness program to help Ontario residents be safe
Track and publicly report heat-related deaths and hospital visits
Measure heat in schools and childcare centres and implement cooling to provide a safe environment for children on hot days
Pass maximum temperature regulations for rental properties and farmworker housing to keep temperatures below 26°C
Provide incentives, financial supports and guidelines for retrofits of rental housing for energy-efficient cooling
Pass protective heat stress regulations for the safety of workers who labour in hot conditions
Require municipalities to assess heat islands and implement urban cooling strategies, and provide financial support for them to do so.

Media Advisory

Extreme Heat Threatens Ontario Residents: Heat Collaborative to Issue Call to Action

WHAT:
The Heat Collaborative is hosting a press conference to issue a Call to Action to the Ontario government. The Heat Collaborative is made up of the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly, Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, Canadian Environmental Law Association, Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health and Environment, Community Resilience to Extreme Weather, Kingston Climate Action Coalition, Low-Income Energy Network, Ontario ACORN, Ontario Federation of Labour, Seniors for Climate Action Now!, The Atmospheric Fund, and Toronto Environmental Alliance.

In the wake of dangerous heat waves in Ontario this summer, and with worsening extreme heat driven by climate change, the Collaborative will highlight legislative and regulatory gaps that leave seniors, children, workers, tenants, and people with certain medical conditions or on certain medications vulnerable to extreme heat exposure.

WHEN:
Monday, August 18, 2025
10:00 a.m.

WHERE:
Queen’s Park Media Studio
Toronto, Ontario

WHO:

Jacqueline Wilson, Counsel at the Canadian Environmental Law Association, Board Member of Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
Farheen Mahmood, Parent Advocate, Volunteer with For Our Kids and Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health and Environment
Marcia Stone, Tenant, Grandmother and Chair of Weston Chapter of ACORN Ontario
Dr. Donald Cole, Occupational, Environmental, and Public Health Medicine Specialist, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) volunteer and works with Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW)

CONTACT:
Jennifer Penney
Seniors for Climate Action Now!
Email: jp1146@gmail.com
Phone: 647-458-0404