Keyword Infectious Diseases

Did you know that the climate crisis is also a health crisis? Climate change impacts the health of Canadians - from increasing heat stroke to spreading new infectious diseases - and these impacts are getting worse. At the same time, there is a lot that we can do to protect ourselves and reduce climate pollution for healthier, safer futures.

As summers become longer and hotter under climate change, many Canadians will be seeking relief at lake beaches. But hotter summers and changing precipitation make favourable conditions for algal blooms to grow in the water, which can produce toxins that are harmful to human health. Experts, Indigenous communities, and residents in the Lake Winnipeg area are all too familiar with the impacts of algal blooms on health, as they discuss in this video

With summer temperatures starting to soar, many Canadians are eager to visit our favourite local beaches to break the heat. In many parts of the country, this means a trip to the nearest lake or river. Climate change is impacting waterbodies across the country, with lakes in Canada warming two times faster than other lakes in the world.[1] And with these changes come increased health risks. Higher temperatures and changing precipitation patterns make lakes more suitable for waterborne disease outbreaks.[2] As water quality worsens under climate change, beach closures and swimming advisories are expected to become more common.[3]

“What’s the Buzz” tells the story of Canada’s increase in mosquito-borne diseases over the last 20 years, largely due to climate change. With warmer, wetter weather in our future, experts expect these diseases will become more common. Canadians are being impacted while also responding to an increase in West Nile Virus and adapting to lessen their risk.

When you think about dangerous animals, big or poisonous creatures probably come to mind. But in fact, mosquitoes are one of the most deadly animals in the world.[1] That’s because mosquitoes can transmit a range of diseases which are of major public health concern globally.

When the three hottest months of the high-sun season roll around, many Canadians are used to dealing with pests - be it those pesky mosquitoes when working out in the yard or sticky ticks when walking in the forest. But in a warming world, these pests are becoming more than just a nuisance for Canadians.

Lyme disease is on the rise in Canada, due in part to climate change. Warming temperatures are allowing blacklegged ticks - the species that can carry Lyme disease in central and eastern Canada - to move into new territories. Hear from the scientists, medical professionals, and citizens on the front lines of this infectious disease issue, and how we can prepare and protect our families and communities from this risk.

We often think about climate change as something abstract or remote. We hear scientists talking about melting ice caps, see images of drought in faraway places, or browse through news coverage of exotic weather disasters. But climate change is having effects right here and right now in Canada. And the risks aren’t just theoretical or abstract. The effects of climate change promise to be up close and personal, affecting the everyday lives and health of Canadians. As Jeff Eyamie of Health Canada says, “The most immediate and personal impact of climate change is the health impact.”