Factsheet: Preparing for Climate Change in our Communities

The document outlines how climate change impacts Canadian health through extreme weather, food and water insecurity, and disease, while offering specific guidance for health professionals to mitigate these risks.

• Climate change increases the frequency and severity of heat waves in Canada, necessitating adaptation measures such as increasing green spaces, using reflective surface materials like green and cool roofs, and providing air conditioned spaces.
• Extreme cold weather increases the risk of hypothermia and frostbite for people experiencing homelessness, and can elevate cardiovascular-related mortality for several days following exposure.
• Flooding risks in Canada are rising due to sea level rise and heavy precipitation, leading to health impacts including respiratory illness from mould in damaged homes, drinking water contamination, and mental illness.
• Wildfires, driven by heat and drought, are expected to increase in extent and severity across many Canadian regions, impacting health through smoke exposure and psychosocial stress.
• Climate change threatens Canadian food and water security; food production is vulnerable to drought and flooding, while water quality is compromised by chemicals, microbes, and cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) resulting from storms, permafrost melt, and sea level rise.
• Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns in Canada increase the prevalence of vector-borne diseases, specifically West Nile virus (WNV) and Lyme disease.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (n.d.). Factsheet: Preparing for Climate Change in our Communities. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Module-7-FACTSHEET-READY-TO-UPLOAD.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Factsheet: Preparing for Climate Change in our Communities. n.d. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Module-7-FACTSHEET-READY-TO-UPLOAD.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Factsheet: Preparing for Climate Change in our Communities |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Module-7-FACTSHEET-READY-TO-UPLOAD.pdf#new_tab |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironmentndfactsheet, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Factsheet: Preparing for Climate Change in our Communities}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Module-7-FACTSHEET-READY-TO-UPLOAD.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }