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Stephanie Hatzifilalithis, Scientist, Women's Age Lab, Women's College Hospital - Assistant Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto

Older adults are at risk in heat waves, but it’s not just age: How public systems and policies are failing them

Older adults are frequently discussed as a vulnerable group during extreme heat, but vulnerability is not simply a function of age. (In-Press Photography via Centre for Ageing Better), CC BY

Five years ago, British Columbia’s heat dome became one of the deadliest weather disasters in Canadian history.

Over eight days in late June and early July 2021, 619 people died from heat-related causes. Most were older adults. Many lived alone. Nearly all died indoors. What happened was not just a weather event. It was a failure of housing, health systems, emergency preparedness and social policy.

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