Inadequate government support compounded risks for people with disabilities and older people during the recent extreme and foreseeable heatwave that killed hundreds of people in the Canadian province of British Columbia (BC), Human Rights Watch said today.
Between June 25 and July 1, 2021, British Columbia experienced a heat dome, a high-pressure weather system that traps heat, with record-high temperatures across the province reaching up to 49.6°C. British Colombia does not have a heat action plan, and lack of access to cooling and targeted support for at-risk populations contributed to unnecessary suffering and possibly deaths.
“People with disabilities and older people are at high risk of heat stress, but they were left to cope with dangerous heat on their own,” said Emina Ćerimović, senior disability rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The Canadian authorities need to listen to and provide much better support for people with disabilities and older people before disaster strikes again.”
Between July and September, Human Rights Watch interviewed remotely 31 people in British Columbia, including 13 people with disabilities, seven older people, and two family members of older people, as well as service providers, human rights advocates, and community leaders. Human Rights Watch also met or communicated in writing with officials across multiple branches of the BC government and the city of Vancouver, and reviewed documents related to climate adaptation planning and heat response.
Three people share their experiences living in British Columbia, Canada, during this past summer’s heatwave. Their stories show how the heat affected their physical and mental health, caused them to fear for their lives, and presented another urgent moment for change.