Re: Ontario’s Draft Pollinator Health Action Plan - #EBR 012-6393

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) supports Ontario's draft Pollinator Health Action Plan, particularly its focus on protecting pollinators from stressors like pesticide exposure and habitat loss. CAPE emphasizes the link between pollinator health and human food security, citing research that a total loss of animal pollinators could increase annual human deaths from nutrition-related diseases by 1.42 million. While welcoming the plan's strategic outcomes, CAPE recommends adding specific targets, budgets, and timelines, creating an independent scientific advisory body, providing farmer incentives for pollinator-friendly practices, and conducting a cumulative assessment of pesticide exposures in Ontario.

• CAPE links the decline of pollinators to human health risks and food insecurity, noting that managed honey bees in Ontario have faced a crisis since 2007 with average over-wintering losses of approximately 35%.
• The document cites a Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health study estimating that a total loss of animal pollinators would reduce global supplies of fruit by 23%, vegetables by 16%, and nuts and seeds by 22%, potentially increasing annual human deaths from chronic and nutrition-related diseases by 1.42 million.
• CAPE supports the draft Pollinator Health Action Plan's approach to addressing four primary stressors: pesticide exposure, climate change and weather, diseases, pests and genetics, and loss of habitat and nutrition.
• To improve the strategic plan, CAPE recommends the inclusion of specific targets, goals, timelines, budgets, and assigned roles, as well as the establishment of an independent advisory body to ensure implementation is based on the best available scientific evidence.
• CAPE suggests adding incentives for farmers who use pollinator-friendly practices and performing a cumulative assessment of pesticide exposures for pollinators within Ontario.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2016). Re: Ontario’s Draft Pollinator Health Action Plan - #EBR 012-6393. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Letter-to-OMAFRA-re-Ontario’s-Draft-Pollinator-Health-Action-Plan-March-2016.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Re: Ontario’s Draft Pollinator Health Action Plan - #EBR 012-6393. 2016. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Letter-to-OMAFRA-re-Ontario’s-Draft-Pollinator-Health-Action-Plan-March-2016.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Re: Ontario’s Draft Pollinator Health Action Plan - #EBR 012-6393 |date=1 March 2016 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Letter-to-OMAFRA-re-Ontario’s-Draft-Pollinator-Health-Action-Plan-March-2016.pdf#new_tab |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2016ontarios, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Re: Ontario’s Draft Pollinator Health Action Plan - \#EBR 012-6393}}, publisher = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2016}, month = mar, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Letter-to-OMAFRA-re-Ontario’s-Draft-Pollinator-Health-Action-Plan-March-2016.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }