Climate Change Toolkit for Health Professionals

The document outlines adaptation strategies for various climate-related health risks in Canada, including extreme temperature events, flooding, wildfires, food insecurity, vector-borne diseases, and water quality issues. It provides specific examples of municipal actions—such as Toronto's green roof bylaws and Vancouver's warming centres—and offers actionable tips for health professionals to support vulnerable patients and advocate for resilient community policies.

• Municipalities in Canada use various alert and response systems to protect vulnerable populations from extreme cold, including the issuance of warnings based on temperature and wind chill, the opening of warming centres, and the provision of emergency shelter and transportation for people experiencing homelessness.
• To combat the Urban Heat Island effect, where dark surfaces in cities absorb and release heat, communities are implementing green and white roof regulations and increasing urban vegetation to lower temperatures and improve air quality.
• Flooding risks in Canada, driven by heavy precipitation and rising sea levels, lead to immediate injuries and long-term health issues such as respiratory illness from mould, water contamination, and psychosocial impacts including PTSD and depression.
• Wildfire adaptation strategies in Canada include implementing building codes for fire-resistant materials in hazard zones and using tools like the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) to manage the health impacts of smoke.
• Climate change threatens food security by disrupting supply chains and reducing agricultural yields, particularly in Northern communities where thawing permafrost and reduced ice thickness hinder access to local food sources.
• Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns are expanding the geographic range of vector-borne diseases in Canada, specifically West Nile virus and Lyme disease, necessitating enhanced surveillance and public education.
• Water quality risks are increasing due to contamination from floods, droughts, and permafrost melt, leading cities to adopt stormwater management plans that utilize natural infrastructure like rain gardens to reduce runoff.
• Community resiliency is being fostered through a 'Whole Community Approach' and partnerships with faith-based organizations to ensure vulnerable populations are reached during climate emergencies.

APA

Mee, C. (2019). Climate Change Toolkit for Health Professionals. Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Module-7-FINAL-FINAL-UPLOAD-Solo-APRIL-5-2019.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Mee, Carol. Climate Change Toolkit for Health Professionals. Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, 2019. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Module-7-FINAL-FINAL-UPLOAD-Solo-APRIL-5-2019.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mee |first1=Carol |title=Climate Change Toolkit for Health Professionals |publisher=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |date=April 2019 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Module-7-FINAL-FINAL-UPLOAD-Solo-APRIL-5-2019.pdf#new_tab |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mee2019climate, author = {Mee, Carol}, title = {{Climate Change Toolkit for Health Professionals}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2019}, month = apr, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Module-7-FINAL-FINAL-UPLOAD-Solo-APRIL-5-2019.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }