The 2021 heat dome event in British Columbia raised global awareness about the impacts of heat-related illness and death. This prompted the Government of Japan to investigate options for their own response plans and to initiate a trip to BC to learn from communities that experienced and responded to the extreme heat event. On September 6–9, 2022, Health Canada’s Heat Division led a four-day tour for delegation from Japan’s Ministry of Environment and Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency to visit with various provincial and health authority staff and community partners within the Lower Mainland, the Village of Ashcroft, and the City of Kamloops to learn more about the experiences and lessons learned from the 2021 event.
The City of Kamloops worked in partnership with Interior Health to coordinate the visit to Kamloops and showcased the City’s heat alert response protocol.
City staff hosted a meeting at the Sandman Centre, the designated location for the primary cooling centre in the City’s heat response plan. Participants included Health Canada, the Japanese delegates, Interior Health, City staff, and two community representatives who spoke about what seniors experienced with the extreme heat during the 2021 and 2022 heat events. The meeting included:
- an exploration of lived experiences by seniors during the heat dome
- a presentation by City staff outlining the City’s heat response actions during the 2021 heat dome and during heat events in 2022
- a tour of Sandman Centre setup as a cooling centre which included a sign-in area; a pet area; and tables with activities, water, and cold compresses
To learn more about the City’s heat response plan and efforts, visit Kamloops.ca/Heat.
Background Information about extreme heat response and planning work within the Interior that is being funded by Health Canada: https://www.interiorhealth.ca/stories/keeping-communities-healthy-during-extreme-heat
