Canadian Cities Urged to Act Now on Urban Heat

With Canadian summers becoming increasingly hotter, Dr. Luna Khirfan urges cities to move beyond temporary “band-aid solutions” and adopt a comprehensive, unified strategy to create cooler urban environments. She points out that municipalities often rely on patchwork measures that fall short of effectively addressing the problem.

Dr. Khirfan advocates for nature-based approaches, like increasing and reshaping water bodies, expanding tree canopies, and replacing hard surfaces with green spaces, as essential steps to reduce deadly urban heat. “The airflow, the shade, the material [that buildings are made from] - all of them work in tandem,” she explained in an interview with CTV News.

In the wake of the devastating 2021 heat dome in British Columbia, which resulted in 619 deaths, Dr. Khirfan stresses the urgent need for action. “It should’ve happened yesterday,” she stated. "If we are bold, we can do it in a decade. If not, it might drag on for 30 to 50 years until things get worse and worse, and it becomes inevitable that we have to take action."

Don’t miss CTV’s insightful report on the record-breaking temperatures sweeping Ontario and Quebec, and how cities can adapt to a hotter future.