Vancouver councillors call for 100,000 trees to be planted to ward off extreme heat

The motion refers to the 2021 heat dome which killed 600 people. Boyle says the trees provide a place for many to seek shade and cool down.

There’s a push to plant 100,000 additional street trees across Vancouver to help protect people from extreme heat.

Two Vancouver city councillors, Christine Boyle and Adrienne Carr, are putting forth the motion Wednesday. They point out this was a campaign promise of Mayor Ken Sim in 2022 and they want him to make good on it.

“I think it’s an excellent and very ambitious target,” explained Boyle, who represents One City Vancouver on council.

She says as climate change tightens its grip on B.C., this is one solution to help protect people.

“As we see more extreme weather events, and folks felt it in the heat this weekend, trees are one important piece of keeping neighbourhoods healthier, safer and more climate resilient.”

The motion refers to the 2021 heat dome which killed 600 people. Boyle says the trees provide a place for many to seek shade and cool down.

“We know, in particular, those fatalities were in neighbourhoods that had a higher surface temperature. They were largely neighbourhoods that had less tree canopy, and they were also neighbourhoods where people were in older apartment buildings, they were more socially isolated,” she explained.