Five years after deadly heat dome, B.C. advocates push for reforms

Five years after the deadly B.C. heat dome scorched the Lower Mainland and killed 619 people, advocates and healthcare workers are marking the anniversary by pushing for concrete action on extreme heat preparedness.

The multi-day event in late June and early July 2021 saw temperatures reach 40 degrees Celsius across the region. Most deaths occurred indoors, in homes that couldn't keep people safe during the extreme conditions.

On Sunday, a gathering outside Vancouver City Hall remembered those who died by erecting 619 paper and bamboo fans—one for each life lost. David Quigg, the event organizer, called for stronger protections. "Every residence should have a room that does not exceed 26 C," he said. "So, no landlord can say 'sorry you can't put in that AC unit, or an older building can't be retrofitted or upgraded.'"

New Westminster City Council already took action earlier this month, approving a bylaw amendment requiring landlords and property owners to maintain a safe indoor temperature in rental units.

Agnes Black, spokesperson for the Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment, echoed calls for action. "The hard truth is that these were preventable deaths," she said. "We are here to honour those lives when we pursue solutions to extreme weather, whether that's indoor heat bylaws, public cooling centres, or planting trees."

Black also urged the provincial government to reconsider its investment in LNG terminals and shift toward clean energy, calling fossil fuels "the root cause of climate change." Quigg added that investment in retrofitting buildings, electrification, and renewable energy could create hundreds of thousands of jobs while preparing the country for future heat waves.