Advocates call on Quebec to adapt workplaces for extreme heat

MONTREAL — A new survey shows that most Quebec workers are suffering from a range of health problems such as dehydration and fatigue due to extreme heat at work.

According to the Léger survey, conducted in July at the request of a public health coalition, 72 per cent of employed individuals reported experiencing at least one effect related to extreme heat.

The organization that commissioned the survey, l’Association pour la santé publique du Québec, is calling on Quebec to adopt a cooling strategy in workplaces. The coalition said the strategy should include amending the building code to improve ventilation and shield employees from the sun.

They also want outdoor workers to have better access to places to cool off.

Léger surveyed just over 1,000 Quebecers online between July 10 and July 21. The polling industry’s professional body, the Canadian Research Insights Council, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population.

Patrick Rondeau, the director of the environment and just transition department of a major Quebec labour union, says the findings of the new survey are in line with what workers have reported worldwide.

In 2024, the International Labour Organization reported a 33 per cent increase in the number of workers in the Americas who suffered heat-related work injuries since the year 2000.

According to Rondeau, that number will only continue to increase unless governments tackle the issue.

“Excessive temperatures and heat stress, commonly known as heatstroke, raise a person’s core body temperature and can cause permanent injuries that may even lead to death. This is a very serious problem,” he said.

Those who work outside — for example, in agriculture, construction and the postal service — are especially vulnerable, said Cyril Frazao a director of health and climate at the public health coalition.

“They will, of course, be increasingly affected by the climate, given that heat waves are becoming more frequent,” he said. ” It’s certain that issues like dehydration, fatigue, and heatstroke will increase if workplace safety measures aren’t adapted.”

But there are risks for indoor workers as well, according to the experts. Rondeau points to cleaners and ironers, for example, and other industries where heat is retained without proper ventilation.

Heat also affects workers’ productivity.

“One in five employed people tell us outright that their work is becoming harder to do. So, the heat directly affects the ability to work,” said Frazao, citing the survey.

Rondeau adds that “there’s a performance-driven culture pretty much everywhere in the world, particularly in Quebec.”

“So, people won’t necessarily stop working. We see this in certain sectors like construction or municipal services,” he said.

For Rondeau, there are two solutions. The first is to reinforce provisions in the occupational health and safety legislation by regulating workplace temperatures and ensuring regular breaks. The second is to adapt workplaces.

The government has “a very direct lever” when it comes to its buildings, says Frazao.

“It can start with its own building stock and incorporate cooling into the renovation, design, and management of its buildings,” he said.

He adds that revising the building code is essential for adapting to extreme heat, which is expected to intensify with climate change.

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The Canadian Press’s health coverage is supported by a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for this journalistic content.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2026.

Katrine Desautels, The Canadian Press