Marcus Medford for New Canadian Media writes, “it’s an unprecedented wildfire season in Canada, with millions of hectares burned and hundreds of structures destroyed while extreme heat has had devastating effects on people’s health, especially for those from racialized and newcomer communities.
At least 619 people died in B.C. during the 2021 heat dome when the province broke records and oppressive 40C temperatures lasted for days. Only about a third of households in B.C. had air conditioners in 2021. The B.C. Coroner’s Service reported that 98 per cent of these people died indoors. Seniors with underlying health conditions were most affected by the extreme heat.
A sizable portion of the people who died were immigrants or from racialized communities, said Holly Jones. Jones is the Volunteer Resources Coordinator for MOSAIC, a registered charity serving immigrant, refugee, and migrant communities.”
Read the full article.