Electricity demand and temperatures hit record levels in B.C.

People watch a sea plane take off in Vancouver, B.C., Sunday, July 7, 2024. Heat warnings have been put in place for the Metro Vancouver area for elevated temperatures. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

Warm weather across British Columbia has driven electricity demand to the highest level ever seen in May.

BC Hydro says residents using fans and air conditioners pushed demand to about 7,600 megawatts.

The record demand comes as temperature records continue to fall across B.C. as unseasonably warm weather persists, including in Vancouver, where a mark set more than 100 years ago was broken.

Environment Canada says Vancouver’s high temperature on Monday reached 23.9 degrees, easily breaking the record of 22.2 degrees set in 1898.

The weather forecast agency says 19 communities set new daily highs for May 4 on Monday, including Pemberton, which reported a high of 31.5 degrees.

Meteorologists say the high temperatures are driven by a ridge of high pressure that will slowly cool down over the next few days before getting warm again this weekend.

The national hot spot on Monday was Lytton, B.C., at 31.9 degrees.

New daily temperature records were also set on Monday in Bella Coola, Campbell River, Duncan, Kitimat, Lillooet, Nanaimo, Port Alberni and Squamish, as well as in the Metro Vancouver communities of Richmond, West Vancouver and Pitt Meadows.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2026.