Global warming could have particularly severe impacts on Canada. It is estimated that temperatures in Canada increased at roughly twice the global mean rate over the 1948–2016 period, with a mean annual increase of 1.7°C compared to a global increase of 0.8°C. Periods of extreme heat have become more frequent and more intense in most provinces. Without appropriate preventive actions, these changes could lead to an increase in mortality and morbidity rates, affecting, among others, urban populations and the elderly as well as disadvantaged individuals and those with cardiovascular or respiratory diseases. The relationship between mortality and heat waves or high ambient temperatures is well documented. In Quebec, higher rates of ambulance transport, emergency room admissions and deaths have been reported during regional extreme heat waves than during comparison periods.
Although the effects of extreme heat on the health of the general population have been documented, knowledge on heat-induced mortality and morbidity among workers is limited. This study aims to address these knowledge gaps.