THE HEALTH COSTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

The report identifies ground-level ozone, heat waves, and Lyme disease as significant health threats in Canada, with ozone-related societal costs potentially reaching $250 billion per year by the end of the century. It emphasizes that climate change will exacerbate existing health inequities driven by poverty and racism, and warns that current federal funding for health adaptation is inadequate, representing only about 0.3 per cent of total federal climate change program funding.

• Ground-level ozone concentrations are projected to increase by 22 per cent by the end of the century, leading to significant healthcare costs and mortality. Societal costs, including death and lost quality of life, are estimated to reach $86 billion per year by mid-century and $250 billion per year by the end of the century. Respiratory illnesses linked to ozone could result in 270,000 hospitalizations and premature deaths over a ten-year period at the end of the century.
• Heat waves are becoming more frequent and severe, with Ontario and Manitoba expected to see a 1.5-fold increase in days exceeding heat-related death thresholds by the 2050s. Heat-related hospitalization rates are projected to increase by 21 per cent by mid-century under a low-emissions scenario and double by the end of the century. Economic productivity losses due to heat under a high-emissions scenario could reach 128 million work hours annually by the end of the century, costing nearly $15 billion.
• While Lyme disease is projected to be the least costly of the modelled health impacts, cases are expected to rise due to warming temperatures. Under a low-emissions future, annual cases are projected to increase from an average of 600 to approximately 8,500 by mid-century and 9,900 by the end of the century, with annual healthcare costs estimated at $3 million by mid-century.
• Climate change poses severe risks to mental health and the well-being of Indigenous Peoples that are difficult to quantify monetarily. In the North, thawing permafrost and changing ice/snow conditions threaten drinking water, housing, and emergency medical access. Indigenous Peoples already experience food insecurity at a rate three to five times the national average, which is further exacerbated by the loss of traditional food sources.
• Canada's health infrastructure is physically vulnerable to climate change, yet preparation is lacking. Approximately 8 per cent of health centres in Canada are located in flood risk zones, and fewer than 20 per cent of health authorities have assessed the vulnerability of their facilities to climate risks.
• Health outcomes are heavily influenced by social determinants—including income, race, gender, and education—which climate change is expected to worsen. The report argues that adaptation must address both 'symptoms' (e.g., emergency response, cooling retrofits) and 'root causes' (e.g., poverty, racism, and lack of access to healthcare).
• Federal investment in health adaptation has been insufficient. Since 2017, only $71 million has been earmarked for health adaptation programs in federal budgets, which represents approximately 3 per cent of all climate change adaptation funding and 0.3 per cent of total federal climate change program funding.

APA

Canadian Climate Institute (n.d.). THE HEALTH COSTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. https://climatechoices.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/ClimateChoices_Health-Report_-Summary_June2021.pdf

Chicago

Canadian Climate Institute. THE HEALTH COSTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. n.d. https://climatechoices.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/ClimateChoices_Health-Report_-Summary_June2021.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Climate Institute |title=THE HEALTH COSTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE |url=https://climatechoices.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/ClimateChoices_Health-Report_-Summary_June2021.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianclimateinstitutendhealth, author = {{Canadian Climate Institute}}, title = {{THE HEALTH COSTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE}}, institution = {Canadian Climate Institute}, url = {https://climatechoices.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/ClimateChoices_Health-Report_-Summary_June2021.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }