Regional climate predictions expect twice as many summer days above 25°C in the 2050s than today.
Our annual average temperature is warming. In the 2050s, our region will have twice as many summer days above 25°C compared to today. With hotter, drier summers, and decreasing snow pack on local mountains, water conservation will become increasingly important.
As summer days get hotter and stretch into heat waves, the heat can cause more than just discomfort. More hot days can worsen pre-existing illnesses and other health issues for those vulnerable to heat.
What we're expecting
Actions: how we're responding to rising temperatures
- We partnered with Health Canada to work with SFU, and UBC to complete Urban Heat Island Effect maps
- The partnership is also exploring options for cooling for older buildings not designed for hotter weather
- We created an Urban Forest Strategy to guide tree planting in the city
- We completed canopy cover mapping to identify hot areas with fewer trees to prioritize new street tree planting locations
- We are aiming to grow our urban forest by planting 150,000 new trees by 2020