Keep yourself and your family safe during extreme heat events
Hot weather can be deadly–especially for seniors, infants, and people with pre-existing health conditions.
When extreme temperatures are forecasted in our region, the City activates its Extreme Heat Operational Response Plan to help keep Burnaby residents safe.
It’s important to know what resources are available, and to have a plan in place to keep you, your family and your loved ones safe. Drink water, stay cool, know the signs of heat stroke and heat exhaustion, and check in with vulnerable family, friends and neighbours.
Cooling Centres and pop-up cooling stations
During extreme heat, the City will open 4 Cooling Centres (open 10 am to 10 pm daily until the heat subsides) at:
- Bonsor Recreation Complex (6550 Bonsor Ave)
- Temporary Cameron Community Centre at The City of Lougheed Shopping Centre (9855 Austin Avenue)
- Edmonds Community Centre (7433 Edmonds St)
- Eileen Dailly Leisure Pool & Fitness Centre (240 Willingdon Ave)
All Cooling Centres will have comfortable seating, drinking water, washrooms, pay showers, Wi-Fi and electrical outlets.
Everyone is welcome.
Did you know? You can also go to any public City facility during operating hours to find relief from the heat. This includes all recreation centres, libraries, Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, Burnaby Village Museum and City Hall.
The City also supports a pop-up outdoor cooling station, run by the Society to End Homelessness in Burnaby at:
- Civic Square (6100 Willingdon Ave, outside Bob Prittie Metrotown Library)
Washroom facilities, drinking water, seating and free public Wi-Fi will be available on site.
More ways to stay cool and safe
Many Burnaby parks offer shade and green spaces where temperatures can be lower than homes without air conditioning. You can also go to any public City facility during operating hours and find relief from the heat. This includes all recreation centres, libraries, Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and City Hall.
An interactive map shows cooling features in parks, including outdoor pools, spray parks, water fountains, misting stations and shade structures.
If you choose to stay in your home, consider these tips to stay cool:
- Stay hydrated: drink plenty of water.
- Take a cool shower or bath, or fill a bucket with cold water to soak your feet in.
- Shut all doors and windows, and pull curtains to keep the sun out.
- Open windows in the evening if the temperatures cool down.
- Consider setting up fans in front of ice trays if air conditioning is not available in your home.
Questions and answers
The City monitors the weather forecast, and any alerts or warnings from a combination of sources. Generally, our extreme heat response is triggered when 2 or more consecutive days of daytime maximum temperatures are expected to reach 29°C or warmer and nighttime minimum temperatures are expected to fall to 16°C or warmer or when Environment Canada issues an extreme heat warning.
Check on older family, friends and neighbours to see if they are cool and drinking water. If they do not have the means to cool themselves, offer to help get them to a local Cooling Centre, if possible.
If you suspect someone may be suffering from heat stroke, call 911.
Pets are permitted in designated areas as long as they are kept on a leash or in a cage or crate.