Health Collaborative Submission to the Federal/Provincial Climate Working Group on Specific Mitigating Opportunities: Electricity Sector

A submission from a collaborative of 15 health organizations urging the Government of Canada to phase out coal-fired power plants by 2025 to mitigate climate change and improve public health.

• The Health Collaborative urges the Government of Canada to completely phase out coal-fired power plants by 2025. This is presented as a critical step to meet emissions commitments under the Paris Agreement and to provide immediate health benefits for Canadians.
• Coal-fired electricity is a disproportionate source of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in Canada. In 2014, while coal provided only 10.6% of the country's electricity, it accounted for 72% of the GHGs emitted by the electricity sector.
• The phase-out of coal power in Ontario led to significant reductions in air pollution and associated health burdens. Between 2003 and 2012, sulphur dioxide emissions from coal plants dropped by 140,000 tonnes, and annual air levels of sulphur dioxide declined by nearly 50%. In Toronto, air-pollution-related premature deaths decreased by 23% (from 1,700 to 1,300 per year) and hospital admissions fell by 41% (from 6,000 to 3,550) between 2000 and 2010.
• Coal-fired power plants in Alberta cause significant health impacts, including an estimated 100 premature deaths from long-term exposure and 700 emergency department visits and 80 hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular ailments from short-term exposure annually. These impacts are valued at approximately $300 million per year.
• Coal-fired power plants are the primary source of mercury emissions in Canada, accounting for nearly 35% of national emissions in 2014. Mercury is a persistent toxic that accumulates in the aquatic food chain and is linked to adverse developmental impacts, such as reduced cognitive abilities and motor skills in children.
• The document identifies specific provincial contributions to mercury emissions in 2014: coal plants were responsible for 80% of Saskatchewan's, 83% of Nova Scotia's, almost 95% of New Brunswick's, and 66% of Alberta's mercury emissions.
• The collaborative recommends that the Prime Minister and provincial/territorial governments not only phase out coal but also establish mechanisms for renewable energy development, implement regulations for energy conservation and efficiency, and ensure a fair transition for displaced workers.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2016). Health Collaborative Submission to the Federal/Provincial Climate Working Group on Specific Mitigating Opportunities: Electricity Sector. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Submission-Coal-Fed-Prov-Wkg-Grp-June-14-2016.pdf

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Health Collaborative Submission to the Federal/Provincial Climate Working Group on Specific Mitigating Opportunities: Electricity Sector. 2016. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Submission-Coal-Fed-Prov-Wkg-Grp-June-14-2016.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Health Collaborative Submission to the Federal/Provincial Climate Working Group on Specific Mitigating Opportunities: Electricity Sector |date=14 June 2016 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Submission-Coal-Fed-Prov-Wkg-Grp-June-14-2016.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2016health, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Health Collaborative Submission to the Federal/Provincial Climate Working Group on Specific Mitigating Opportunities: Electricity Sector}}, publisher = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2016}, month = jun, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Submission-Coal-Fed-Prov-Wkg-Grp-June-14-2016.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }