TDSB warns of ‘uncomfortable conditions’ at some schools amid heat wave

CP24's Bill Coulter says Monday's heatwave will see Toronto's temperature hit 40 degrees Celsius.

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has warned of "uncomfortable conditions" at some schools as the city continues to experience a heatwave.

Environment Canada said temperatures will reach 36 degrees Celsius on Monday, with humidity levels expected to reach 46 degrees Celsius.

"Across TDSB schools, while some schools are fully air-conditioned and some are partially air-conditioned, a number of schools are without air conditioning, making for uncomfortable conditions," the board said in a letter to parents.

Parents are urged to send their children to school with cool clothing, hats and sunscreen, and to drink plenty of water throughout the day.

The school board said it will turn on fans, turn off lights and computers when not necessary to help improve conditions. Students and staff will also be moved to cooler areas of the school where possible, and reduce strenuous physical activity.

The letter states:

“Closing schools during a heat advisory is not a common practice for the TDSB or other school boards in the province, as it places parents and guardians in a difficult position to find child care at short notice, which is not always possible.”

TDSB spokeswoman Sherry Schwartz-Maltz said each school has designated a “cooling center” such as a library or air-conditioned gymnasium so students can cool off.

“Everyone is ready. The necessary information was sent to school administrators over the weekend to protect the health of staff and students. So far, so good,”

David Phillips of Environment Canada also told CP24 that Monday's scorching heat could break Toronto's temperature record if the forecast is correct.

"We're still a month away from the peak of summer. We usually get the hottest temperatures in late July and early August," he added.

Phillips said the heat wave could pose serious health risks to the community because it's the first heat wave of the season and people aren't used to it yet.

"It's dangerous because our bodies aren't used to it yet. It's from morning until night and it's long-lasting," he stressed.

Are you a parent with a child returning to a hot school this week? What measures do you have in place to combat the heat? Are you planning to keep your child home this week due to the extreme conditions?

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