Gap Between High and Low Income Households Widens.
Recent increases in the cost of living and declining real estate values had unprecedented impacts on net saving and wealth for more financially vulnerable households in the first quarter, such as those with lower incomes, less wealth, and in younger age groups.
Income inequality increased in the first quarter as the gap in the share of disposable income between households in the two highest income quintiles (top 40%) and two lowest income quintiles (bottom 40%) reached 44.7%, up 0.2 percentage points from the first quarter of 2022. Although the income gap increased over the last year, it remained lower than before the COVID-19 pandemic, when it averaged 45.1% from 2010 to 2019.
Source: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/230704/dq230704a-eng.htm?HPA=1
7 Tips to Stay Cool Without Air Conditioning.
(NC) With another sweltering summer hitting us hard across the country, it’s important to know how to stay cool, especially if you don’t have air conditioning at home. Here are some tips from Health Canada.
- Stay hydrated by drinking water before you feel thirsty. Leave a glass by the sink as a reminder, and up your fluid intake by eating more fruits and vegetables with a high water content.
- Keep your curtains or blinds closed in the hottest part of the day. Sunny rays can seriously increase the temperature inside.
- Don’t use your oven to cook, since it will heat up your home. You can find countless delicious ideas in cookbooks and online, from mouth-watering marinades for outdoor grilling to surprisingly hearty and refreshing salads.
- Escape the heat for a few hours in a tree-shaded area, swimming pool or air-conditioned spot such as a library, cooling centre, friend’s home or shopping mall.
- Choose loose-fitting, breathable, light-coloured clothing to help keep your body cool.
- Keep your windows open overnight if it’s safe to do so because air is typically cooler when the sun goes down.
- Use a shower to help you feel some relief.
While you’re taking care to stay cool, watch out for symptoms of heat illness, including feeling unwell, headache, fatigue and thirst. If you or someone else has these symptoms, stay hydrated and get somewhere cooler.
It’s a medical emergency if severe heat-related illness is suspected, with symptoms such as fainting, disorientation, severe nausea, vomiting, extreme thirst or difficulty speaking. Call 911 immediately.
While waiting for help, try to cool the person right away by moving them to a cool place, removing excess clothing, applying cold water on the body or fanning and dousing the person with water as much as possible.
Find more information at canada.ca/health.
