Tenants in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside are working to make their buildings safer during heat waves

Following the 2021 heat dome that killed 619 people in British Columbia, tenants in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside have organized through the SRO Collaborative Society to document temperatures and protect neighbours. Teams now operate in about 30 single-room occupancy buildings, with 'H2O teams' delivering water during heat waves and cooling rooms opened in two buildings, with six more funded by Vancouver city council.