Letters to The Province: Health harms of extreme heat

I am a family doctor practising in Victoria and am extremely concerned about the impact of extreme heat on our health. Last month marked the fifth anniversary of the deadly heat dome that tragically killed 619 people in B.C. in 2021. I recall my patients reporting worsening symptoms with increased shortness of breath, dizziness and [...]

Article content I am a family doctor practising in Victoria and am extremely concerned about the impact of extreme heat on our health. Last month marked the fifth anniversary of the deadly heat dome that tragically killed 619 people in B.C. in 2021. I recall my patients reporting worsening symptoms with increased shortness of breath, dizziness and weakness, anxiety and fear among others.

Even last month, when temperatures breached 30 degrees, some of my patients were unable to even make their appointments as they could not be outside due to worsening respiratory symptoms related to the heat. Health harms of extreme heat now threaten communities across B.C. every year. Recommended Videos Since the heat dome, not enough has been done to prevent further harm and deaths.

We need to call on all levels of governments to turn down the heat at its

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source — invest in clean energy and urgently transition away from fossil fuels. There is no place for a new pipeline or expanded LNG if we want to protect our health and lives. Simultaneously, we must protect those in our community who are the most vulnerable to extreme heat, including improved cooling in both new and older buildings (hello, heat pumps!) and increasing urban tree canopy, which was a key recommendation from the coroner’s review in 2021. We must act urgently on both fronts, and I encourage all B.C. residents to speak up and support initiatives that protect our families and neighbours to build a healthier and more resilient B.C. Dr. Shannon Houston, Victoria

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