Strategies for a Cooler Scarborough

During the summer of 2024, we partnered with Dr. Laura Tozer and the Urban Just Transitions lab at the University of Toronto Scarborough to better understand strategies that would work best for community members during extreme heat events. We started with a walk around Colony Plaza on Lawrence Ave to measure heat and humidity in parking lots, shaded and open green spaces. Based on what we learned about air flow, density of vegetation and the temperature differences between paved and unpaved surfaces, we brainstormed solutions for individuals, communities and the city.

A unique advantage doing this work in Scarborough is the diversity of experiences of heat community members’ had in their home countries. We learned about long practiced adaptations and how the experience of heat here in Canada differs from countries with more significant air pollution. Many of the solutions to exteme heat practiced elsewhere could be easily adopted here (UV umbrellas, passive cooling using the timing of the day & window orientation to dictate which windows to open and close when, ceiling fans and the use of water to cool down). Others require cultural and political shifts such as changes to building codes to allow for better cross ventilation and more funding for green spaces.

Learnings from this work will inform additional engagements to support the piloting and implementation of the strategies surfaced.