BC Hydro receives thousands of air conditioner applications ahead of heat wave

Ahead of this week’s coming heatwave, where the Lower Mainland could see up to five days in a row over 30 degrees, BC Hydro says it has received thousands of applications from account holders to take part in its air conditioner program.

The program is part of the provincial promise made two months ago when the B.C. government said it would distribute 8,000 air conditioning units over the next three years to help people deal with increasing temperatures.

In a statement to CityNews, BC Hydro says from the 3,000 applications it has received from low-income households, as of last week, 2,000 of those have been approved.

It adds, around 360 units have so far been installed, with the utility provider saying it will be ramping up installations week over week, “as we’re targeting installing up to 1,000 units per month as part of this three-year program.”

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Beginning Sunday, CityNews Meteorologist Michael Kuss says the heat will climb to above 30 degrees for much of Metro Vancouver and the South Coast.

In an update Thursday, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Bowinn Ma says they’ve learned a lot from the 2021 heatdome.

“We learned that heat deaths can happen here in Canada. Two or three years ago, extreme heat wasn’t something that was necessarily seen as something that Canadians could be subject to. What we saw in 2021 is that is absolutely not the case,” she said.

The province has since issued a heat warning, with Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry explaining it had to.

“Often it’s because we underestimate the impact that heat has on our bodies until it’s too late. So, that’s why it’s important to be aware” she said.

Henry suggested keeping blinds closed, using cold, damp towels to help cool off, and avoiding strenuous activity during the hottest times of day.”

–With files from Greg Bowman