As the frequency of extreme heat events occurs, the need for cooling devices increases. Those without access to cool spaces during extreme heat events can be subjected to prolonged exposure. Such exposure can cause loss of internal temperature regulation which can lead to various negative health effects or, in some cases, death. The impacts of extreme heat events disproportionately affect certain vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, low-income earners, and individuals with existing health vulnerabilities.
Recipients of Ontario Works (OW), Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), or Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities may be eligible to obtain a cooling device (such as an air conditioner) as a discretionary benefit. The availability of, eligibility criteria for, and submission process for these funding programs vary from municipality to municipality.
CELA has partnered with the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) and Health Providers Against Poverty to develop a poster with more information about this program.
In municipalities where there is a funding program, applicants may need a letter of support or prescription from a healthcare provider indicating the necessity of the device for their health and safety and to confirm that they have an eligible medical condition. These programs ought to be administrated in a fashion that respects the applicant’s health privacy. Similarly, health care providers should disclose only the minimum amount of sensitive health information about the applicant. As such, health care providers should not provide sensitive health information about diagnosis (particularly in relation to health conditions that are socially stigmatized, such as HIV) where it is not required. Where eligibility is tied to specific medical conditions, health care providers can simply state that the applicant has been diagnosed with one of the eligible medical conditions.
We encourage you to use this poster in your office space if you are a health care provider, or to share it with health care providers in your network.
Update: We are making some changes to this poster and will upload it here when it is finalized.
Poster: Apply for Cooling Devices through ODSP/OW
As the frequency of extreme heat events occurs, the need for cooling devices increases. Those without access to cool spaces during extreme heat events can be subjected to prolonged exposure. Such exposure can cause loss of internal temperature regulation which can lead to various negative health effects or, in some cases, death. The impacts of extreme heat events disproportionately affect certain vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, low-income earners, and individuals with existing health vulnerabilities.
Recipients of Ontario Works (OW), Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), or Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities may be eligible to obtain a cooling device (such as an air conditioner) as a discretionary benefit. The availability of, eligibility criteria for, and submission process for these funding programs vary from municipality to municipality.
CELA has partnered with the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) and Health Providers Against Poverty to develop a poster with more information about this program.
In municipalities where there is a funding program, applicants may need a letter of support or prescription from a healthcare provider indicating the necessity of the device for their health and safety and to confirm that they have an eligible medical condition. These programs ought to be administrated in a fashion that respects the applicant’s health privacy. Similarly, health care providers should disclose only the minimum amount of sensitive health information about the applicant. As such, health care providers should not provide sensitive health information about diagnosis (particularly in relation to health conditions that are socially stigmatized, such as HIV) where it is not required. Where eligibility is tied to specific medical conditions, health care providers can simply state that the applicant has been diagnosed with one of the eligible medical conditions.
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