Council passes motion to boost response to extreme heat

By Christena Lawrie, CFRC's Broadcast Journalist and Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.

At their most recent meeting, council unanimously approved a motion for Kingston to develop an enhanced Community Heat Response Plan. 

While a response plan was completed by staff earlier this summer, the motion brought forward by Councillor Conny Glenn emphasized the need for stronger action. 

Additions to the plan in the motion include forming an Inter-agency Extreme Weather Committee, installing heat-mitigating infrastructure, a pilot program involving door-to-door visits to check on vulnerable residents, and encouraging landlords to develop hot weather plans. 

“This is a hot, extraordinarily dry summer … Everybody I am talking to is feeling it one way or another. This is about moving the envelope a little bit further,” Glenn stated before council.

City staff will bring forward an enhanced Community Heat Response Plan to the Environment, Infrastructure & Transportation Policies Committee in 2026.

Listen to the full story here.