Communications on climate change adaptation: The case of the Ville de Montréal’s heat wave campaign for seniors

This project aims to evaluate the heat wave awareness campaign by the municipal government of Montréal targeting seniors who are vulnerable to heat, in order to determine its ability to reach them and to encourage them to follow the recommended adaptation behaviours.

Project details

Scientific program

Programmation 2020-2028

Theme(s) and priority(s)

Social and Health Challenges - Extreme Events - Adaptation of Living Environments

Start and duration

June 2025 • September 2028

Project Status

In progress

Principal(s) investigator(s)

Maxime Boivin

Institut national de santé publique du Québec

Context

Urban heat waves are becoming increasingly intense, frequent and persistent, leading to significant social and public health challenges. Awareness campaigns can be an appropriate and effective tool to limit these impacts and encourage people who are vulnerable to heat to take certain preventive actions.

However, such communication efforts come with their share of challenges, particularly regarding the information put out and its alignment with the needs, knowledge and beliefs of the target audience. It is therefore important to study them in order to assess their ability to reach the target audience effectively, as well as their impact in terms of behaviour and knowledge.

Objective(s)

The aim of this project is to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the heat wave awareness campaigns run by the Ville de Montréal in 2025 and 2026, in order to offer avenues for improvement and to promote the adoption of heat protection measures by the targeted seniors.

Specific sub-objectives:

To explore the perceptions, understanding and adoption of preventive behaviours related to heat wave risks in the seniors targeted by the awareness campaigns
To evaluate the extent to which the awareness campaign’s objectives were achieved
To evaluate the ability of these awareness campaigns to reach the targeted populations
To suggest ways to facilitate the transition to action (such as improving knowledge about heat waves, the risks involved, the available solutions and how to implement them, as well as the campaign’s format)

Methodology

Discussion groups with senior citizens (65 years and older) who are independent and semi-independent and who live in the neighbourhoods targeted by the campaign, namely Ville-Marie, the Southwest, Verdun, St-Michel, Côte-des-Neiges, Rosemont-Petite-Patrie and Villeray in the city of Montréal.
Summative assessment using pre- and post-campaign questionnaire-based surveys of the population of the targeted neighbourhoods, including senior citizens. A control group will be recruited from neighbourhoods that are similar but are not targeted by the campaign.
Analysis of the results and proposal of areas for improvement to facilitate the transition to action.

Expected results

Formative assessment of seniors regarding heat and the awareness campaigns on the subject (2025)
Summative assessment of the heat awareness campaign for seniors (2026)
Research report
Scientific articles and webinars

Benefits for adaptation

This project will improve the knowledge and assessment methods of organizations and professionals in the field of adaptation, enabling a better understanding of:

The audience being studied with regard to climate change, and specifically heat waves

Strategies for evaluating awareness campaigns

Effective communication strategies regarding heat waves and, more broadly, climate change