'Brutal' temperatures persist Tuesday in Hamilton as workers, residents grin and bear it

As the sweltering heat continued Tuesday, Hamilton resident Juan Benitez spent a second day in a row enjoying the cool air of Jackson Square. 

"I feel like this is the best place to be," said Benitez, 59.  

He lives in a sixth-floor downtown apartment without air conditioning and said when he got to the mall, he was drenched in sweat. He sat on a bench to cool off, chatting with two friends doing the same. 

The last couple of nights he's had trouble sleeping and cancelled a doctor's appointment that was too far for him to travel to during a heat wave, he said. But when it cools off, he'll reschedule. 

Much of Ontario, including Hamilton, the Niagara Region, Burlington and Brant County, has been under a heat warning since Sunday, but Environment Canada says it's expected to end Tuesday night.

During the day, temperatures have reached 35 C and felt like a "dangerous" 45 with the humidity, the federal weather agency said. 

Two contractors investigating a small sink hole on James Street said they've been drinking about 20 water bottles a day to combat the "brutal" temperatures. 

"It takes a toll on everything we're doing today," said Brandon Suttis. 

His colleague Ian Thurston said it felt as hot as Death Valley, Calif., which on Tuesday afternoon was a comparable 38 C.

Hoping for rain

Many kids in schools face extreme heat, all day, too, as some buildings don't have central air conditioning. 

That's why Leah Ahmad decided to keep her three children at home Monday. 

"It's a disruption in learning for sure, but I just don't want my kids to get any type of heat stroke or heat exhaustion," she told CBC Hamilton.

At a King Street bus stop, crossing guard Nicole Stefaniuk was heading home from her 30-minute afternoon shift on Tuesday.

"I find it very hard and it makes me sick," she said of the high temperatures. 

Stefaniuk experienced heat stroke symptoms Monday, she said, and has an ankle injury that flares up. 

But she decided to return to work Tuesday to tough it out for the remaining two days of school before the summer break. 

Environment Canada predicts some rain Wednesday. Looking up at the sky, Stefaniuk didn't see any clouds. 

"I hope later on tonight, please come out rain," she said, smiling. "I hope." 

'Cool places' open

The city recommends people close their blinds and shades as well as open windows if it feels cooler outside than inside. It also recommends using a fan or air conditioner, to limit outdoor activities and direct exposure to the sun and heat, and wear lightweight and light-coloured clothing. 

The medical officer of health for the city initiated a heat warning starting Sunday. The city extended the warning on Tuesday.

The city and some community agencies have opened specific "cool places" for people to go during the "dangerous" heat and humidity.

Regularly scheduled public swims at indoor pools are also free in the city.