In the first national survey of its kind, Statistics Canada revealed on July 19 that most Canadians have a home air conditioner. Statisticians reported the research was prompted by concerns over climate change.
“The results of this study may inform heat-health policies and climate change adaptation strategies that aim to identify populations with high risks of heat-related mortality or morbidity and low access to household air conditioning,” said the study, as first reported Blacklock’s Reporter.
Data was obtained from the 2017 Canadian Community Health Survey and the 2017 Households and the Environment Survey to which Statistics Canada linked the survey respondents and created survey weights.
Approximately 61 percent of Canadians surveyed said they used an air conditioning unit in their home. Regional rates ranged between 32 percent in British Columbia and 85 percent in Ontario. By comparison, it was 58 percent in Québec, 49 percent in the Prairie provinces, and 38 percent in the Atlantic provinces.
“Air conditioning was more common in regions with humid climates, i.e., Ontario and Québec, whereas air conditioning was less common in regions with more moderate climates, i.e., British Columbia,” analysts said.
“Because existing studies focus on households and small populations from a few geographical contexts, there is a limited understanding of national-level air conditioning rates and if, and how, the prevalence of air conditioning varies by geography and individual characteristics,” the study said.
Although air conditioning is one of the most effective ways to reduce the health impacts of heat exposure, “few studies have measured the prevalence of household air conditioning in Canada,” the study said.
The researchers noted that 619 people died heat dome in over Western North America in 2021.
“In addition to mortality, short- and long-term heat exposure can lead to a variety of heat-related illnesses and outcomes, including heatstroke, exhaustion, dehydration, and hospitalization resulting from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.”
In 2020, Environment and Climate Change Canada predicted extreme heat would become a climate-related killer in Canada.
“Longer and warmer heat waves due to climate change, an aging population and growing urbanization are trends that could see an increase in the number of deaths from heat waves,” said a department notice titled Content Gathering Of Climate Change Adaptation Case Studies In Canada.
“Canadians understand it is prudent to prepare for these impacts but need the tools,” said the notice. “Projections indicate climate change will result in longer days of extreme heat.”
Federal data shows, however, that more Canadians die in winter than summer.
In 2018, StatCan published a report, “Mortality Overview 2014 To 2016,” concluding that death rates in winter months were, in fact, 14 percent higher on average. Accidents, influenza, and freezing to death were cited as causes.
