A blast of dangerous heat has settled over Ontario and southern Quebec, with the extreme temperatures expected to linger for several days as tens of thousands of people are set to gather for Canada Day and World Cup festivities.
Environment Canada warns the hot and humid conditions could last through the weekend in some areas.聽
"I'm a little bit uncomfortable confidently predicting an end to the heat wave because it looks like we could see heat persisting even into next week as well," said Peter Kimbell, a warning preparedness meteorologist with the weather office.聽
"It's going to be very, very hot and very muggy as well, and dangerous for many people."
Temperatures are expected to hover around the low- to mid-30s for much of the week across southern Ontario and Quebec. The humidity is expected to make it feel about 10 degrees hotter.聽
As the sidewalks in downtown Toronto heated up in the blazing sun, pedestrians used various methods to keep cool.聽
鈥淚've been walking around quite a lot, and my main thing is I've been making sure I have a cold sweet beverage with me," Malli Surana said.聽
"I've been stopping for juices, bubble tea. So yeah, I've just been drinking some sort of liquid throughout the whole day and it's helped a lot," she said.
The hottest days in Toronto are expected to coincide with Wednesday's Canada Day celebrations and Thursday's FIFA World Cup knockout match between Croatia and Portugal.
The nights will offer little relief, with the lowest temperatures still expected to top 20 degrees.聽
Some outdoor pool and library hours have been extended as part of Toronto's heat relief strategy. An extra 113 contingency spaces in the city's shelter system were set to be ready Tuesday, along with a 24-hour cool space for people experiencing homelessness.聽
For some visitors to the city from similar or hotter climates, the heat was not a problem.聽
But Aislinn Cholet, who is visiting from New Jersey with her two sons, said they were "astonished" to see some people wearing jeans, long sleeves 鈥 and even parkas.
鈥淭here's a lot of like ... fall clothes in this not-fall weather, you know,鈥 her son Ben Cholet said.
"I know that it's very hot, for sure," said Toronto resident Patrick Mpiana. "However, I came from a very hot country ... the Democratic Republic of Congo ... So I'm OK.鈥
In Quebec, the heat wave overlaps with the traditional moving day on July 1, when most leases in the province expire.聽
For those planning to move, Dr. David Kaiser with Montreal Public Health suggests they start either as early as possible or wait until later in the afternoon to avoid doing heavy lifting during the hottest part of the day. He stressed that taking regular breaks, drinking a lot of water and staying in the shade is crucial.聽
"There's really no magic solution to moving day, you know, looking at 40 degrees humidex tomorrow, but there are some measures that at least can avoid the most important exposure," he said.
Those planning to celebrate Canada Day should limit their alcohol consumption as it increases dehydration and raises the risk of heat-related illness like heat stroke, Kaiser said. He also warned that some medication, including for mental health, heart conditions and hypertension, can affect how the body reacts to heat.
Montrealers were also urged to look out for people who are homeless.聽
"You see someone who doesn't seem to be well, the minimum is to ask if they are OK. If we are not reassured by asking the question, I think the right reflex is to call the emergency services, they are there for that," he said, adding that people with access to air conditioning should help others.
"People who have the privilege to protect themselves from the heat, how do we take care of others? We see what's happening in Europe at this time, and we know that in Montreal -- and we've already seen it for a few years -- these episodes will be more frequent and more severe in the years to come."
Climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, is increasing the severity of the world's most deadly form of extreme weather. Scorching temperatures have overwhelmed Paris mortuaries as France's public health agency reported an additional 1,000 deaths last week at the height of a record-breaking European heat wave.聽
An August 2025 heat wave in Montreal resulted in three reports of possible heat-related deaths, the city's public health department said. That same heat wave over southern Quebec was found to be at least two to 10 times more likely due to climate change, an analysis by federal scientists suggested.
A new Health Canada report released earlier this month recommends an upper indoor temperature limit of 26 C to help protect older adults from heat-related illness and death, citing research that shows anything hotter, especially overnight, can strain the body's ability to cool itself. The findings point to British Columbia's 2021 heat dome, when almost all of the 619 heat-related deaths happened inside, and the vast majority were 60 or older.聽
The report also helps to bolster efforts by tenants in cities including Toronto and Hamilton who are advocating for rules to require landlords to keep units cooled to 26 C or below. Toronto city council this month directed staff to report back with a bylaw for approval by next June.聽
This report by 好色tvwas first published June 30, 2026.聽
--By Erika Morris in Montreal and Jordan Omstead and Monique Kasonga in Toronto


