As Toronto gets hotter, not everyone is sweating equally | The Narwhal:

When a heat wave hits the city, it doesn’t
impact everyone the same way. The residents of St. James Town are
exposed and vulnerable to heat every way you look at it. They live in
homes with limited or no access to air conditioning, and are at higher
risk of the illnesses worst affected by extreme heat, like diabetes or
heart disease. They have fewer parks and trees in their neighbourhood
compared to wealthier, whiter communities. They’re more likely to work
in hot conditions, like construction or manufacturing, or physically
intensive roles that require them to be on their feet all day. And they’re not alone in their
experiences. Across the city, low-income and racialized communities,
including in inner-suburban areas like Scarborough, North York and parts
of Etobicoke, are suffering disproportionately during heat waves.

While
you can’t control when a heat wave will strike, you can control how
people experience it. The city has recently instituted policies designed
to mitigate the risks of heat, but it is unclear if they can adequately
meet the needs of Toronto’s most vulnerable communities. And while the
work of people like Ferreira and her volunteers is vital, if Toronto is
going to build any form of resilience to the climate crisis, and prevent
needless suffering and death, it’ll need to do more than rely on the
kindness of neighbours. 

As Toronto gets hotter, not everyone is sweating equally | The Narwhal: When a heat wave hits the city, it doesn’t
impact everyone the same way. The residents of St. James Town are
exposed and vulnerable to heat every way you look at it. They live in
homes with limited or no access to air conditioning, and are at higher
risk of the illnesses worst affected by extreme heat, like diabetes or
heart disease. They have fewer parks and trees in their neighbourhood
compared to wealthier, whiter communities. They’re more likely to work
in hot conditions, like construction or manufacturing, or physically
intensive roles that require them to be on their feet all day. And they’re not alone in their
experiences. Across the city, low-income and racialized communities,
including in inner-suburban areas like Scarborough, North York and parts
of Etobicoke, are suffering disproportionately during heat waves. While
you can’t control when a heat wave will strike, you can control how
people experience it. The city has recently instituted policies designed
to mitigate the risks of heat, but it is unclear if they can adequately
meet the needs of Toronto’s most vulnerable communities. And while the
work of people like Ferreira and her volunteers is vital, if Toronto is
going to build any form of resilience to the climate crisis, and prevent
needless suffering and death, it’ll need to do more than rely on the
kindness of neighbours. Read More