Fossil-Fuel Pollution is Killing Canadians and Big Oil is Lying About It

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) is calling for a ban on fossil fuel advertising, comparing the industry's deceptive marketing to that of Big Tobacco. The briefing details how fossil fuel emissions cause tens of thousands of premature deaths in Canada, contribute to childhood asthma, and exacerbate climate-related health crises like extreme heat and wildfires. It specifically accuses the Pathways Alliance of misleading the public about emissions and net-zero goals, noting that actual oil sands emissions may be 64 times higher than reported. CAPE advocates for a regulatory framework similar to those implemented in France, Norway, and the EU to protect public health and accelerate the energy transition.

• Fossil fuel air pollution is a primary driver of premature mortality in Canada, with Harvard research estimating 34,000 premature deaths annually.
• A significant majority of Canadians live in areas where air quality fails to meet World Health Organization standards.
• Fossil fuel combustion is linked to severe pediatric health issues; children in homes with gas stoves face up to a 42% higher risk of asthma, and Canada has the world's third-highest rate of new childhood asthma cases caused by traffic pollution.
• Climate change, driven by fossil fuels, is increasing heat-related mortality and the frequency of extreme weather in Canada; for example, the 2021 'heat dome' caused 619 deaths in British Columbia and 66 in Alberta in one week.
• Wildfires in Canada are increasing in risk and duration due to climate change, with First Nations people on reserves being 33 times more likely to be forced to evacuate than those off reserve.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (n.d.). Fossil-Fuel Pollution is Killing Canadians and Big Oil is Lying About It. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Backgrounder-Fossil-Fuel-Pollution-is-Killing-Canadians.pdf

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Fossil-Fuel Pollution is Killing Canadians and Big Oil is Lying About It. n.d. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Backgrounder-Fossil-Fuel-Pollution-is-Killing-Canadians.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Fossil-Fuel Pollution is Killing Canadians and Big Oil is Lying About It |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Backgrounder-Fossil-Fuel-Pollution-is-Killing-Canadians.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironmentndfossilfuel, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Fossil-Fuel Pollution is Killing Canadians and Big Oil is Lying About It}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Backgrounder-Fossil-Fuel-Pollution-is-Killing-Canadians.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }