Open this photo in gallery:
People take shelter in the shade of the trees on Major’s Hill Park on Canada Day in Ottawa amid a heat warning on Wednesday.Keito Newman/The Canadian Press
As crowds gathered to celebrate Canada Day at events across the country, a heat wave and a thick layer of humidity descended upon the urban streets and rural valleys of large swaths of Ontario and Quebec. But by the afternoon, the hot, humid weather gave way to heavy rain and driving wind that forced the cancellation of fireworks and an evening show in downtown Ottawa.
Heat warnings were in effect in the two provinces, but parts of Ontario from Windsor all the way to Ottawa had been issued an orange alert – a warning Environment Canada says is uncommon.
Orange alerts are issued when the effect of the weather could be severe, widespread and could last a few days. Additionally, the department said the extreme weather could negatively affect people’s health.
National unity takes centre stage in Carney’s Canada Day celebrations
In Ottawa, the storm moved in quickly in the afternoon forcing revellers to flee Parliament Hill and LeBreton Flats where much of the Canada Day celebrations were centred. Ottawa Police also warned motorists of localized flooding, with a few stretches of Highway 417 closed to traffic.
By the evening, Heritage Canada cancelled the musical performances and the fireworks.
In the Toronto region, Environment Canada said rain and hail could be accompanied by winds reaching up to 100 kilometres an hour, resulting in damage to trees and buildings.
The department said the extreme weather will persist through to Friday and possibly continue into the weekend for some regions with temperatures reaching up to 37 C.
The hottest days are expected to be Wednesday and Thursday, coinciding not only with Canada Day, but also the highly anticipated World Cup match between Portugal and Croatia being played in Toronto on Thursday.
As Portugal arrives in Toronto for the World Cup, a diaspora prepares to celebrate
Michael Collins, who was sitting on a shady park bench in Parliament Square Park in the Distillery District of Toronto, agreed that the heat could be a problem for the match.
“Running around for 90 minutes in this kind of heat that could be trouble – but these guys are pretty fit, so who knows,” he said.
Mr. Collins said that on a usual day, he would be spending more time outside, but the heat, coupled with a bout of dizziness – a common side effect of the high temperatures – changed his routine.
Almost 78 years old, he normally starts his day at Riverdale Park, where he exercises by walking up and down its grassy hill. Wednesday, he opted not to.
While heat waves and hot summers aren’t new to Toronto natives, such as Mr. Collins, things are changing, he said.
“You get summers like this, although I would say they’re getting worse.”
Vulnerable populations at greatest risk during Ontario heat wave, advocates warn
Lester Brown recalls spending his first summer in Toronto without air conditioning after moving from New Brunswick. He too spoke about how it keeps getting hotter every year.
Mr. Brown left a Canada Day celebration at St. James Park in downtown Toronto early to escape the heat, with plans to spend the rest of the day indoors.
While the weather disrupted some people’s Canada Day plans, Zac Chan welcomed it.
“Heat’s great, actually. We only get a couple months of this. I’d rather have this than freezing cold,” Mr. Chan said, while walking his small dog, Soju.
He said he didn’t know there was a heat warning in effect but realized it was hotter than usual as soon as he stepped outside.
When it comes to walking Soju, Mr. Chan says they take a lot of breaks.
“We kind of walk about five minutes and then stop,” he said.
With a report from Bill Curry in Ottawa