We’re excited to release our report, “Staying Cool: Experiences and Challenges Using Cooling Centres in Metro Vancouver”. This report is the result of a one-year CIHR-funded research project (PI: Liv Yoon) focused on the experiences of those who use, or run, cooling centres and emergency weather shelters.
As British Columbia contends with increasingly hot summers, community cooling spaces open to anyone to come and cool down are increasingly important. But they come with their challenges, and many residents are uncomfortable or unable to use them. What specifically are these barriers and experiences? How might governments, non-profits, and community organizations be able to address them?
This report shares the experiences and challenges of those who use or choose not to use cooling centres, and provides recommendations for moving forward.
In this report, we:
- Share stories from people with diverse experiences of heat and access to cooling in Metro Vancouver
- Discuss key barriers to using cooling centres comfortably, such as lack of transportation and overcrowding
- Promote suggestions from community members and service providers on how to overcome these challenges
- Propose recommendations for local governments and non-profits for improving access to cool spaces, including in people’s homes and shelters
Contacts: Rachel Stern (rachel.stern@ubc.ca), Liv Yoon (liv.yoon@ubc.ca)
