'No relief in sight' as mercury rises in Toronto

Thirty-four degrees was what the thermometer read at Toronto's Pearson International Airport on Wednesday afternoon, but the humidity was making it feel 11 degrees hotter.

Environment Canada said the humidex stood at 45 C at the airport as of 4 p.m.

As the mercury was still rising earlier in the day, CBC meteorologist Jay Scotland had warned that the afternoon was going to be trying.

"It is going to be very hot, very sticky, very hazy," Scotland said, reporting from Toronto's Woodbine Beach late Wednesday morning.

Scotland said the heat is going to continue for the rest of the work week.

"Hot, sticky today, no relief in sight until we get through into the weekend," he said.

Not surprisingly, Toronto remains under an extreme heat alert, under which residents are advised to take steps to stay cool and also to check in on those who may be at risk of heat-related illness.

Eight city pools are open for extended hours as a result of the extreme heat and seven cooling centres across the city are available to residents who want to cool down.

The intense heat has left air conditioners running non-stop at many businesses, offices and private residences, which is putting great demands on the power grid.

Toronto Hydro spokesperson Tanya Bruckmueller said that businesses running air conditioners should not be keeping their front doors open while keeping the air conditioning cranked.

"A number of the large businesses are turning off non-essential loads, but we're also asking those businesses along the street not to cool the street — shut the door, please," she said in an interview with CBC News.