MPPs are being asked to establish maximum temperature levels in Ontario schools.

The NDP’s Chandra Pasma is putting forward a Private Member’s Bill that sets the maximum temperature of schools and school buses at 26 Celcuis before declaring them unsafe.

The party’s Education Critic says hot schools do not make for safe working environments for adults or children.

“A growing body of evidence demonstrates that temperatures above 26 degrees Celsius negatively impact health and increase the risk of illness and death due to heat exposure,” says Pasma.

“Children are particularly vulnerable to high temperatures because they don’t regulate body temperature the same way as adults, and they may not recognize or be able to express the signs of heat stress in their own bodies.”

She adds prolonged exposure to heat can lead to other serious health issues and exacerbate existing conditions such as asthma, heart conditions and kidney problems.

She notes that while Ontario has guidelines for cold weather and a minimum temperature before schools are declared unsafe, there are no similar measures to address extreme temperatures.

“There is no requirement at all to take any measures even when schools exceed temperatures that experts say are unsafe,” says Pasma.

“As the number of hot days and the temperature of those hot days increase, we urgently need to act to protect our kids and the workers who support them every single day.”

Along with setting a maximum temperature, Pasma’s proposal also includes a requirement for school boards to develop strategies that allow for the use of heat pumps and air conditioning, and adapt schools and playgrounds to minimize heat through measures such as green roofs, energy-efficient windows, installing misting stations and shade structures and planting trees.

If passed, school boards would also be required to establish emergency plans for days when a school exceeds the maximum or minimum temperature.