Stores running low on AC units as Vancouver hit with first wave of summer heat
Metro Vancouver is experiencing its first stretch of hot summer weather this weekend and people are scouring stores looking for air conditioners and fans to cool off – some being met with empty shelves.
Sharina Seseene and Tyler Lotzeselle, a couple who recently moved to Vancouver from Edmonton, said they went to three stores looking for a portable AC unit.
"At Home Depot, they don't have any in stock anymore. So, we found this at Canadian Tire," said Seseeme, pointing to her new unit.
They consider themselves lucky to have found one in time.
"We heard last year it was a hot summer, so we're just getting ahead of it," said Lotzeselle.
And they're not the only ones getting ahead.
Thomas Lai, the general manager of Vancouver's Visions Electronics, said he's received dozens of inquiries over the last few days from customers looking to purchase an air conditioner.
"I would say anywhere between 30 to 40 phonecalls a day. When it gets really hot, it can go up to hundreds," he said.
His store only started selling AC units a few years ago after he noticed an increased demand.
"The weather is just getting unpredictable, but I think it's going that way. It's getting hotter and hotter every year now," said Lai.
Even then, not many were prepared for last year's record-breaking heat dome that killed more than 600 British Columbians.
"Last year, we didn't have enough stock. So that's why this year, we have a lot more to get ready for the rush," Lai said.
Some local residents are taking advantage of these warm temperatures and upselling their AC units online.
The Tosot Portable Air Conditioner sells for $649.99 on the Best Buy website, but one seller on Facebook Marketplace tried selling it used for $1500 before marking it down to $500.
Many businesses expect to sell out of their AC units in the next few weeks and urge customers to purchase one immediately before they run out.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Arrest made, manslaughter charge pending in 2022 death of Calgary toddler
Calgary police have arrested a man and a charge is pending in connection with the death of a toddler in 2022.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson Airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Here's why experts don't think cloud seeding played a role in Dubai's downpour
Scientists say it's highly unlikely cloud seeding is responsible for the heavy rains that have caused flooding in the United Arab Emirates this month, and that climate change is the more likely culprit.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.