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To: Premier John Horgan

Premier John Horgan: create a provincial heat response plan now

The heat dome that blanketed BC last summer took the lives of nearly 619 people. The BC Coroner’s Report released last week showed that most were elderly and chronically-ill, living in buildings without air conditioning. [1]

The report issued three clear recommendations for how to prepare for future heat waves: 1) to identify and support our vulnerable neighbours by checking in on them and providing them with cooling devices, 2) to create a coordinated heat alert response system, and 3) to undertake long-term planning to build homes and communities equipped to deal with warmer weather. [2]

But with summer just around the corner and the threat of climate-induced heat waves looming, the BC government is still dragging its feet. Vancouver council made recommendations and is taking some actions [3]. More is necessary.

The Human Rights Watch has put the onus on Horgan’s government to avoid replicating the deadly mistakes of this past summer [4] — but he’ll keep delaying unless we turn up the heat (the other kind - solidarity and collective action!).

If we flood Horgan with thousands of messages calling on him to IMMEDIATELY implement all three of the BC Coroner’s Report’s recommendations, it could be enough to force him to act.

Why is this important?

During last summer’s heat wave, I was luckily able to spend $700 on an AC unit just in time to find some relief. While those 600 people were in an actual fatal emergency, my partner and their two cats were feeling very stressed and desperate in their hot 1950s building in south Vancouver. In the 1950s the buildings were made to store and hold heat because they had little clue the opposite was a more vital need. They didn’t expect the changes in the climate we’ve seen now. Luckily I could house my partner and their cats for a couple weeks, and we made it through with the AC.

Not everyone was as lucky — but the most vulnerable in our communities shouldn’t have had to spend hundreds to survive. As British Columbians, we are currently living in fear of unnecessary deaths and climate hardship this summer and into the future. We need government action right now.

Sources
[1] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-heat-dome-coroners-report-1.6480026?utm_medium=email&utm_source=actionkit

[2] see [1] 

[3] https://council.vancouver.ca/20210720/documents/b5.pdf
[4] https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/10/05/canada-disastrous-impact-extreme-heat

How it will be delivered

Online, in person, through a media release if possible

Updates

2022-06-15 17:35:56 -0400

1,000 signatures reached

2022-06-09 16:15:09 -0400

BC Coroner's report calls for protections for most vulnerable.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-heat-dome-coroners-report-1.6480026?utm_medium=email&utm_source=actionkit

With the chaos of climate disasters and the real, direct risk to hundreds of people such as those who tragically died last year, we cannot afford inaction. Please share this campaign as people are talking about this right now. It's too hot right now on the opposite side of the planet in India and Pakistan. It could get hot here again. It's not very easy to predict chaos. Yes, predictions can be made, but they aren't always kept to!

2021-11-09 18:16:17 -0500

500 signatures reached

2021-11-08 19:49:56 -0500

Thanks everyone for signing so far! Please share with everyone you know who lives in BC. People working together does make change really happen! Keep strong, grow together...

2021-11-08 17:10:09 -0500

100 signatures reached

2021-11-08 16:56:10 -0500

50 signatures reached

2021-11-08 16:51:12 -0500

25 signatures reached

2021-11-08 16:48:27 -0500

10 signatures reached