Montreal public health asking ER doctors to report all heat-related deaths

Montreal Public Health is calling on all its emergency first responders to report all death that might be related to the high heat.

MONTREAL — Montreal’s public health department is asking emergency room doctors to report all deaths suspected of being related to the ongoing heat wave.

Officials issued a notice on Sunday for the city’s ER doctors to contact the department within 24 hours of a death that could be linked to heat.

The department is also asking ERs to report all cases of patients with symptoms of heat stroke.

Environment Canada has issued a heat warning for Montreal, where temperatures are forecast to reach as high as 34 C for the next two days, and begin to improve Wednesday.

Montreal health officials say there is a significant risk of a rise in deaths, particularly among people with chronic health problems, during periods of extreme heat.

Health officials say that in 2018 a major heat wave in Montreal led to the deaths of 66 people, 26 per cent of whom had schizophrenia.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 11, 2025.