Climate Change and Health: Impacts on Canadians and Global Lessons

Understanding Climate Change as a Health Issue

Climate change is no longer just an environmental discussion — it is a major public health challenge that affects every region of the world, including Canada. Rising temperatures, shifting weather patterns, and extreme events are already impacting air quality, food security, and physical and mental health.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), between 2030 and 2050 climate change is expected to cause roughly 250,000 additional deaths per year from malnutrition, malaria, heat stress, and other conditions. The Canadian Medical Association similarly notes that our healthcare systems must prepare for new forms of stress — from wildfire smoke to vector-borne diseases — that once seemed distant.

As Dr. Helen Dion’s overview on climate and health highlights, this intersection between environmental change and medicine demands urgent attention from both physicians and policymakers. Her insights reflect what health experts in Australia, the UK, and Canada are increasingly recognizing: climate resilience is a form of preventive medicine.

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Who Is Most at Risk?

While everyone experiences the effects of climate change, some groups are especially vulnerable:

• Older adults and young children — More prone to heat stress and dehydration during prolonged heatwaves.

• People with chronic illnesses — Cardiac and respiratory diseases worsen during hot, smoky, or polluted days.

• Low-income and remote communities — Often live in flood- or fire-prone areas with limited adaptive infrastructure.

• Pregnant women and Indigenous populations — Face unique nutritional, environmental, and cultural risks tied to the land.

Calgary’s healthcare providers, including family physicians and public-health teams, have already begun incorporating these risk factors into patient education and city-level emergency planning.

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Extreme Heat and Heatwaves in Alberta

Heatwaves are becoming hotter and more frequent across Canada.
During the 2021 and 2023 Calgary summers, Alberta Health Services issued multiple heat warnings as temperatures surged past 35 °C. Hospitals reported spikes in emergency visits for dehydration and heat exhaustion, particularly among the elderly.

Unlike southern countries such as Australia, most Canadian homes and public spaces lack built-in cooling systems, leaving our population less prepared for sustained extreme heat. Urban areas also face the “urban heat island” effect — when concrete and asphalt retain heat overnight — which increases heat-related mortality.

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Extreme Weather and Disasters

Climate change amplifies severe weather events worldwide — from wildfires and floods to hurricanes and droughts.
In Alberta and British Columbia, wildfire smoke has become the most visible health hazard, triggering poor air-quality advisories across multiple summers. Calgary’s skyline has repeatedly turned orange-grey due to smoke from hundreds of northern fires.

Extreme rain events, such as the 2013 Calgary flood, demonstrate how flash flooding can overwhelm infrastructure, contaminate water systems, and interrupt healthcare services. Rural communities and First Nations are particularly affected when roads or clinics are cut off for days.

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Infectious Diseases and Water Security

Warming climates allow disease-carrying insects like ticks and mosquitoes to migrate north.

• Lyme disease cases have expanded across Alberta.

• West Nile virus appears more frequently during hot, dry summers.

• Floods and boil-water advisories increase gastrointestinal illnesses in smaller communities.

Public-health surveillance now tracks temperature and rainfall patterns as early-warning systems for vector-borne disease emergence.

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Air Quality, Allergies, and Respiratory Health

Wildfires and longer pollen seasons are worsening respiratory problems across Canada.
Fine smoke particles irritate lungs, aggravate asthma, and increase heart-attack risk.
Calgary’s 2023 Air Quality Health Index repeatedly reached the “very high risk” category for days at a time.

Longer growing seasons mean higher pollen loads — especially ragweed — extending allergy seasons well into autumn.

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Mental Health and Community Resilience

The emotional toll of climate disasters is often underestimated.
After the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires, thousands of residents experienced post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. Farmers affected by droughts report elevated rates of depression and suicide linked to economic loss and uncertainty.

Climate grief and eco-anxiety are now recognized public-health issues — particularly among youth who perceive the crisis as generational.

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Health Opportunities in Climate Action

Tackling climate change offers immediate health benefits.

• Cleaner energy → improved air quality and fewer respiratory illnesses.

• Active transport and green spaces → higher physical activity and better mental well-being.

• Cool roofs and tree canopies → reduced urban heat exposure.

Canada’s healthcare community, following similar efforts by the Australian Medical Association, is advocating for hospital sustainability programs and emissions reduction strategies that directly protect patient health.

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Antarctic Science and Global Health Insights

The Southern Ocean absorbs much of the planet’s excess heat and carbon dioxide. This helps delay global warming but also disrupts marine ecosystems. Changes in ocean chemistry and circulation affect food chains, fisheries, and ultimately global nutrition.

Sea-ice loss and glacier melt contribute to sea-level rise, which in turn increases flooding, saltwater intrusion, and displacement — all with major health implications for coastal populations worldwide.

Canadian researchers are collaborating with international climate scientists to translate Antarctic data into health-risk modelling for urban planning and emergency response. These insights are crucial for building resilient systems in cities like Calgary.

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What Communities and Health Systems Can Do

Public Health Agencies

• Integrate climate indicators into surveillance systems (heat, smoke, flood, and disease alerts).

• Ensure clinics and hospitals have backup power, clean-air zones, and cooling areas.

Local Governments

• Plan evacuation routes and shelters for vulnerable populations.

• Implement urban greening and shade programs to lower city temperatures.

Households and Workplaces

• Prepare heat and smoke response plans.

• Maintain emergency kits, filters, and hydration supplies.

• Support low-emission transportation to reduce local air pollution.

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Key Takeaways

• Climate change already threatens air, food, and water security.

• The Southern Ocean and polar systems influence global weather and health outcomes.

• Alberta faces rising heat, smoke, and flood risks.

• Integrating climate resilience into healthcare is preventive medicine in action.

• Clean-energy transitions deliver immediate health dividends.

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Final Thoughts

Climate change may be the defining health challenge of this century, but it is also an unprecedented opportunity to rethink prevention and community design.
By linking scientific insight, local planning, and compassionate healthcare, cities like Calgary can protect both people and the planet.

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Medical & Legal Notice:
All information presented on this page is for awareness and educational purposes only.
No liability is assumed for actions taken based on this content.
For personalized health or medical advice, please consult your family physician or qualified healthcare provider.