It's been sweltering hot hitting the books in schools, and the Sarnia Library this first week of September.
Environment Canada has had a heat warning in effect for Sarnia-Lambton since Sunday.
The humidex reached 42 C Tuesday afternoon, prompting Marcotte Canada to pull its trucks and garbage collectors off their routes in the city. They got off to an early start Wednesday, in an effort to catch up.
Lambton Kent District School Board Director Jim Costello said about 55 per cent of their schools don't have air conditioning.
"We have an administration procedure where we ask our principals to move students into air-conditioned areas wherever possible, for example, a library, a learning commons or a cafeteria," said Costello. "We provide shade sails in a few of our newer schools. If the health unit issues a heat warning then we obviously ask our principals to have indoor recesses and nutrition breaks to keep our students out of the sun."
All Catholic schools in Sarnia-Lambton have air conditioning.
The main floor air conditioning at Sarnia Library is not working.
A report to city council said the system's two air handlers, cooling tower, and connected plumbing, are about 50 years old and repairs are no longer feasible.
The city and county have been trying to make do with fans and dehumidifiers, but that has had little effect in the recent hot weather.
Staff will be requesting $400,000 in the 2019 capital budget to replace the main floor AC system.
A shift in wind direction with the arrival of a cold front Wednesday night will bring an end to the stifling heat and humidity. Below seasonal temperatures of 20 C or less, are forecast for Sarnia heading into the weekend.
-With files from Dave Dentinger
