NB ACORN demands ‘A/C for all’ as Moncton activist hospitalized for heat exhaustion

An anti-poverty activist in Moncton was hospitalized for heat exhaustion on Tuesday, just before NB ACORN launched a campaign demanding “A/C for all.”  Peter Jongeneelen, co-chair of NB ACORN –  a grassroots association of low-to-moderate income people – was recovering at home by Wednesday after being released from hospital.  He told the NB Media Co-op that a clause in his lease prohibits window A/C units.  Temperatures in Moncton reached 34 C with a humidex of 44 C on Tuesday, part of a major heat wave that affected millions of people in North America.  Amid the heat wave, NB ACORN, called for “all levels of government to create programs that ensure low-income families have affordable access to cooling their homes,” with rallies in Moncton and Fredericton. Jongeneelen urged people to watch out for the warning signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. “This can come on quick,” he cautioned in a Facebook message. “The smartest thing I did was calling Tele-Care 811 when I did.”