Les changements climatiques et votre santé: ce qu’il faut savoir

This fact sheet from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment outlines the various ways climate change negatively impacts human health, specifically focusing on the Canadian context. It details risks ranging from extreme heat and air pollution to mental health struggles, vector-borne diseases, and threats to food and water security.

• Extreme heat waves cause heatstroke and premature deaths, and can worsen pre-existing heart and lung diseases, leading to higher hospitalization rates. If greenhouse gas emissions are not drastically reduced, the number of extreme heat days is expected to double or triple within the next 30 years, posing a particular risk to children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses.
• Air pollution in Canada is responsible for 14,000 deaths annually and increases the risk of stroke, lung cancer, respiratory diseases, and heart disease. Climate change further degrades air quality through an increase in forest fires, droughts, and the presence of pollen and allergens.
• Climate change threatens mental health and well-being. Extreme weather events and emergency evacuations are linked to depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, while an uncertain future regarding homes and communities creates growing anxiety.
• Rising global temperatures facilitate the spread of vector-borne diseases transmitted by ticks and insects. In Canada, Lyme disease now affects over 2,000 people across several provinces, and West Nile virus has affected more than 6,000 people over the last 20 years.
• Extreme weather events—including hurricanes, tornadoes, winter storms, and forest fires—are increasing in intensity, duration, and frequency. Approximately 200 such events were reported in Canada since 2010, increasing risks of death and injury and potentially limiting access to healthcare, emergency services, electricity, food, and drinking water.
• Ecosystem disruptions such as permafrost thaw, floods, and droughts threaten food security and access to drinking water. Floods can contaminate water and destroy crops, while permafrost thaw and rising sea levels threaten food and water supplies. Additionally, power outages can lead to deaths, hospitalizations, and foodborne illnesses.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2019). Les changements climatiques et votre santé: ce qu’il faut savoir. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Sommaire-pour-les-patients.pdf

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Les changements climatiques et votre santé: ce qu’il faut savoir. 2019. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Sommaire-pour-les-patients.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Les changements climatiques et votre santé: ce qu’il faut savoir |date=September 2019 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Sommaire-pour-les-patients.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2019les, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Les changements climatiques et votre santé: ce qu’il faut savoir}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2019}, month = sep, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Sommaire-pour-les-patients.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }