Montreal endured its sixth straight day of furnace-like temperatures as heat-related deaths across Quebec climbed to at least 17 and wilting humidity was expected to deliver weather that feels like the mid-40 C range on Thursday.
Authorities attributed 12 deaths in Montreal to the double blow of intense heat and humidity. The remaining deaths were reported in regions across the province.
All the deaths struck those most vulnerable during heat waves: People with underlying conditions such as mental illness or heart and lung disease. All of the victims were in apartments without air conditioning, and most lived alone.
Heat waves have also swept Southern Ontario and Atlantic Canada, and places such as Ottawa, where the humidex was at 39 C, and Toronto have bathed in sweltering heat for days − yet those jurisdictions have had no reported deaths.
Ontario’s Office of the Chief Coroner has received no reports of heat-related deaths as of Wednesday, a spokesperson said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted about the heat waves hitting parts of Canada: “My thoughts are with the loved ones of those who have died in Quebec during this heat wave. The record temperatures are expected to continue in central & eastern Canada, so make sure you know how to protect yourself & your family”.
One thing that distinguishes Montreal from other jurisdictions is an established system that requires front-line health providers to systematically report health-related deaths. Montreal became, in 2002, one of the first cities in North America to adopt a heat-response plan, and a 2010 heat wave that caused more than 100 deaths led officials to fine-tune their preparedness, said David Kaiser, a specialist with Montreal’s public-health department.