Table1 lists research gaps and needs pertaining to climate change adaptation in Ontario as indicated by public health respondents. Adaptation in the public health sector will be a challenge in part due to limited understanding of the various ways in which it has and will affect health outcomes and public health resources and uncertainties in future climate vulnerability projections. Ogden NH, Bigras-Poulin M, Hanincova K, Maarouf A, O'Callaghan CJ, Kurtenbach K: Projected effects of climate change on tick phenology and fitness of pathogens transmitted by the North American tick Ixodes scapularis. Environ res let. From Impacts to Adaptation: Canada in a Changing Climate 2007. 0000001736 00000 n Communities like Richmond and Delta in the Lower Mainland are also forecast to be underwater by 2100. Gosselin P, Lebel G, Rivest S, Douville-Fradet M: The integrated system for public health monitoring of West Nile Virus (ISPHM-WNV): a real-time GIS for surveillance and decision-making. http://hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/air/out-ext/air_quality_e.html. Nowadays, you have to have research-based evidence of effectiveness and climate related extreme events Community level adaptation enables resource sharing, synergizing goals and strategies increases adaptive capacity and fosters communication between health and municipal officials on the health risks who otherwise may not consider health factors and where institutional and communication barriers exist between them [39]. There is no way of monitoring the success of our extreme weather program. Furthermore, a lack of data or causal estimates of morbidity and mortality associated with environmental determinants or risks limit effective evidenced based programming. Want to discuss? As trees get cut down to make room for urban expansion, mineral extraction, and agriculture, more greenhouse gases are emitted. Regional health officials (n=28) identified extreme heat (n=20, 71%), storms and floods (n=19, 68%) and poor air quality (n=16, 57%) as the most pressing climate change health risks. It gave us the ability to move forward on a much larger scale - we wouldn't have had the funding to do that kind of work otherwise (Municipal public health official) 1 0 obj Berrang-Ford L: Climate change and health in Canada. [278 278 0 0 556 889 0 0 333 333 0 0 278 333 278 278 556 556 556 556 556 556 556 556 556 556 278 0 584 0 584 556 0 667 667 722 722 667 611 778 722 278 500 667 556 833 722 778 667 0 722 667 611 722 0 944 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 556 556 500 556 556 278 556 556 222 222 500 222 833 556 556 556 556 333 500 278 556 500 722 500 500 500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 556] Privacy Here are their new homes, This Alberta wildfire season has seen most hectares burned since 1981, Climate change might benefit Canada but not enough to outweigh costs: expert, Senate committee calls recommendations in Arctic report a wake up call, as the National Snow and Ice Data Center notes, Permafrost in Canadian Arctic thawing 70 years earlier than predicted: study. Another great way to save the planet is by supporting projects and programs that help protect the environment. Officials stated that the built environment is often based on out-dated codes and standards that do not integrate climate change considerations. Advocates of adaptation are concerned about competing interests and more immediate issues taking precedence. One way to ensure that federal funding is sustained over the long-term and that efforts are coordinated across health jurisdictions is for Canada to develop a climate change adaptation strategy; similar to adaptation plans implemented in other countries. In Ontario, responsibilities are outlined in the Health Protection and Promotion Act (1990) which provides the legislative mandate for 36 regional boards of health and associated standards for the provision of mandatory public health programs and services with which every board of health (regional) is required to comply [28]. (DOC 31 KB), Additional file 2: Description of inclusion and exclusion criteria for selection of regional health jurisdiction. Toronto green roofs, for example offer multiple benefits. 9 0 obj Check out the Ontario government website to learn more ways you can help the environment through lifestyle changes. Waves are also predicted to get worse around the Gulf of the St. Lawrence for the same reason they will around Newfoundland: a lack of winter sea ice. As our world warms, responsible and active management of fisheries harvests will become even more important.. While Canada is warming at twice the rate as the rest of the world, the North is warming at three times that rate, the Canadas Changing Climate Report found. You can also buy environmentally-friendly products. 2007, 60: 195-202. We are at the stage of what do we need to be concerned about, how do we start to integrate into our long-term planning program; we recognize it is not where it needs to be, but it's an evolving process (Municipal public health official) Website designed and developed by Evoke Solutions. But the creeping effects, were not really sure. See Additional files 3 and/or 4 for criteria for selection of regional health jurisdictions and interview participants. elderly, homeless). 10.1016/j.amepre.2008.08.024. The province needs to undertake a comprehensive climate change vulnerability assessment in the health sector to inform research and policy gaps. 2019 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. WATCH: Why people aren't taking more action to stop climate change? Refer to Figure1 to view a population density map of Ontario indicating the public health jurisdictions included in this study and Additional file 1 specifying the numbers of interviewees per health jurisdiction. According to the government of Quebec, temperatures in the southern part of the province have increased on average by one degree Celsius since 1950 and thats expected to continue to increase over the coming decades. WATCH BELOW: Canadas melting Arctic major contributor to rising sea levels. 0000054357 00000 n https://www.facebook.com/UniteForChangeCanada, https://www.linkedin.com/company/CanadaHelps, https://www.instagram.com/uniteforchangecanada/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUZCH3BEkys&list=PLHnBCF5EEfBv0B08qlU9iwy9kgFF3J0vO, Canada is warming at about twice the rate, dropped greenhouse gas emissions by 22 percent. 2005, 4: 21-10.1186/1476-072X-4-21. BMC Public Health Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Government of Ontario Ministry of Environment: Climate ready: Ontarios adaptation strategy and action plan, 20112014. 0000004827 00000 n (DOCX 13 KB), Additional file 5: Full survey instrument. That could have a big impact on the agricultural industries based there, despite the fact that the growing season itself will likely get longer as a result of fewer days with frost. Climate change and health risk indicators can be identified via epidemiological studies and expanding empirical databases [37], but will require sustained funding and research expertise to accomplish. CANADAHELPS IS A REGISTERED CHARITY. In light of these risks, and the inevitability of some degree of future change, public health systems in Canada and beyond will have to adapt to manage climate-related risks [3, 1316]. Berrang-Ford L, Ford JD, Paterson J: Are we adapting to climate change?. However, they acknowledge the limitations of local health departments and the need for continued efforts to ensure that public health departments in Canada are prepared for a changing. " To learn more about the Ontario Environmental Plan you can visit their website. 10.1023/A:1009652531101. Lesnikowski AC, Ford JD, Berrang-Ford L, Paterson JA, Barrera M, Heymann SJ: Adapting to Health Impacts of Climate Change: A study of UNFCCC Annex I parties. Climate change refers to long-term shifts in global conditions. 0000004996 00000 n 0000003760 00000 n Climate change health risk assessments require updated information on vulnerable groups that can be gained through multi stakeholder efforts and community partners, local officials and medical professionals can provide local information on vulnerable groups, intervention gaps and needs [40, 41]. One of the major threats to the North, however, comes from the thawing permafrost. 1990, http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90h07_e.htm. Health officials felt constrained by a lack of data and noted the need for more research. Air quality management includes monitoring smog, issuing alerts and public education on illness prevention and energy reduction on smog days; burden of illness studies contribute to informing air quality policies and anti-idling bylaws. ". Part of Many felt national leadership in sustaining the urgency to adapt would help to ensure continued effort at the municipal level, potentially facilitated by a national adaptation strategy. Interview recruitment was designed to include respondents from north, central and southern Ontario. Climate change happens on two fronts the sudden acute events, like extreme weather events and so on, and then, there is the slow creeping incremental change. 0000111029 00000 n Rising temperatures will cause ice caps to melt, and sea levels to rise to heights weve never seen before. 0000073021 00000 n Also, including climate change in Ontario health standards has provided legitimacy to allocate funding to adaptation initiatives. endobj Canada is warming at about twice the rate as the rest of the world. Indeed, in the climate and health scholarship, there are few studies that have documented the perspectives of practitioners on adaptation, with adaptation typically discussed in an abstract sense [26]. If nothing is done, our quality of life will decrease. Those warmer lake waters could also lead to fewer lake trout, yellow perch and largemouth bass, while lake sturgeon could disappear entirely. endobj 0000120868 00000 n We are probably equipped to handle the acute stuff. In Ontario, climate change is an implicit or mainstreamed consideration in public health initiatives where evidence of climate-related risks is available. Results from the City of Windsors heat alert and response system (HARS) pilot and Toronto Public Healths efforts in evaluating effectiveness of heat messaging will contribute to a national HARS best practices guidebook developed by Health Canada. The result will be more heat waves and air pollution, as well as an increase in the length of hay fever season for allergy sufferers. endobj 0000117712 00000 n 0000034712 00000 n READ MORE: Permafrost in Canadian Arctic thawing 70 years earlier than predicted: study. 10.1007/s00038-009-0096-9. Berry P: Vulnerabilities, adaptation and adaptive capacity in Canada. Food safety includes surveillance of food premises, public disclosure, warnings and recalls, education on safe food handling and food preparation, locally grown food and roof-top gardens. So to sum up the key possible risks: rougher seas, more flooding and big changes to fish stocks. Now more than ever we need to reduce our carbon footprint. Extreme heat programs use alert and warning systems, planning and response initiatives, promotional messaging to the public and response guidelines on preventing illness or death and monitoring weather to inform heat alerts. Int J Health Geogr. Long-term funding needed for hiring personnel and obtaining necessary resources for adaptation is an inherent challenge when adaptation is not mandated provincially and where urgency to adapt may not be shared from one municipal council to another. To start, the plan outlines the progress Ontario has made. 0000107995 00000 n The call for more effective risk communication for heat warning systems to prevent heat related deaths [41, 42] has been addressed by Health Canada in their Heat Alert and Response System research initiatives; however, further research is needed for other health issues. But theres still more we can do on an individual level. Wave heights and the duration of the wave season are expected to increase in the Newfoundland/Labrador coastal area during winter because of reduced sea ice extent, the report states. <> (1999, 2000) and Berrang-Ford et al. There will also be indirect pathways through which climate change will affect health, although these remain poorly researched [12]. Secondly, twenty-six health jurisdictions were excluded. 0000117458 00000 n JP took the lead in conceptualizing and designing the study, conducted interviews, performed literature searches, and analyzed and interpreted data. In this way, we can adapt to continuously unpredictable conditions and live within the means of natural world. Conservation Authorities track and report conditions through our Watershed Report Cards. Monitoring adequate responses of vulnerable groups is also challenging. In Ontario, barriers such as competing priorities and departmental silos have the potential to hinder implementation of inter-departmental adaptation goals. Climate change has been identified as one of the major challenges for health this century [1]. ep8| 2 yP BLX)Ao wfp_r^].pBS+)E[SuvZOBZ,>h|%df[e%K_TQ 5YgqZ~`)w1$g 5WNLM(n`c+qOEz|sxFm:9Gj~dP~vEdmlY8t? Terms and Conditions, Associated with these risks were concerns about ageing populations, urban sprawl and the heat island effect. " Additionally, Ontario will launch a new online system to better report pollution incidents and response times. Reduce the amount of time you spend driving by walking, taking the bus, or riding a bike. Environ Sci Policy. Local stakeholders need to plan for potential impacts based on knowledge of how climate change will affect the region and design programs accordingly. Interviewees were senior level staff, researchers and policy analysts. How best to manage climate change creeping effects on food and water safety, and vector borne diseases was an issue for some. " But they are different in different regions.. 6 0 obj (DOCX 12 KB), Additional file 4: Information pertaining to regions included in interviews and the number of interviews per region. Without a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the average temperature in Ontario will rise by 3 to 8-degree Celsius within the next century. Tools for Schools). Our work needs to be evidenced based; however, its difficult to associate respiratory outcomes with actual impact from poor air quality or linking water borne disease outbreaks with environment.. For climate change health risks that we dont have evidence for yet, the funding wont be there (Municipal public health officials) This paper contributes towards addressing this deficit in research on local responses in general and in Canada specifically, by developing a baseline understanding of the status of adaptation in the Ontario health sector. % 2008, 7: 23-10.1186/1476-072X-7-23. 10.1080/13669870701447972. Some health units (Peel, Halton, York, Toronto, Ottawa) noted their involvement in piloting the National Air Quality Health Index [32], a health based indicator of air quality combined with targeted messages to vulnerable groups on how to avoid smog related illnesses. BN: 896568417RR000. 10 0 obj Public health officials identified how higher levels of government could improve in supporting local adaptation. The major issue is the accumulation of threats, the multiplication of threats, said Jackie Dawson, a professor at the University of Ottawa who holds the Canada Research Chair in Environment, Society and Policy. Adaptation to climate change in the Ontario public health sector, http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@ene/@resources/documents/resource/std01_079212.pdf, http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/environment/en/resources/STDPROD_081665.html, http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/program/pubhealth/oph_standards/ophs/index.html, http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90h07_e.htm, http://hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/air/out-ext/air_quality_e.html, http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/12/452/prepub, Additional file 3: Interview participants. Thanks to colleagues, especially Carolyn Poutiainen and two reviewers who provided constructive comments. One project involves mapping vulnerable subgroups and critical infrastructure in relation to high risk flood and storm zones. The table top exercises were also very helpful. Peter Berry was an employee at Health Canada during the full duration of the project. To characterize adaptation experiences, a typology adapted from Smit et al. Climate change is integrated into official plans or strategies (e.g. volume12, Articlenumber:452 (2012) City of Windsor, 2010 flood); water-borne illnesses through direct contact with contaminated recreational water; and social and economical burdens associated with property damage or critical infrastructure failure. Local government and senior management that support climate change adaptation were described as enablers, providing support and legitimacy for the adaptation implementation: " Google Scholar. Local leaders enable adaptation via organizing and chairing meetings and obtaining informational and financial support to sustain projects and create mechanisms to make the case for climate change adaptation in the community. " That translates into a range of different risks, starting with the decrease in sea ice as a result of warmer temperatures. 2008, Health Canada, Ottawa, 171-210. Arctic. 10.1016/j.envsci.2008.02.001. 368 0 obj << /Linearized 1 /O 370 /H [ 1736 1614 ] /L 1254758 /E 183605 /N 56 /T 1247279 >> endobj xref 368 62 0000000016 00000 n ". Efforts to monitor burden of illness associated with climate change health vulnerabilities on local scales are currently lacking [3]. Concern of direct impacts of storms and floods included increased injuries due to slip and fall accidents in icy conditions, and injuries or deaths from extreme events. The risks in Canada include increasing temperatures, more frequent and intense extreme weather, and alterations to precipitation regimes [2]. (DOCX 26 KB), http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0. Eighty five percent of Ontarios 13.3 million residents live in urban centers, and in the densely populated southeastern region characterized by industrialized zones and sprawling suburbs [18]. Indirect health impacts identified included: respiratory problems from poor indoor air quality and psychological effects from damage to homes and buildings after a flood (e.g. Representative(s) from the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care were unavailable for interviews; as such, pertinent information was obtained from the Ministry's website. &Fj. endobj Mersereau V: A scan of municipal heat/health watch warning systems and hot weather response plans. 2002, Pollution Probe Foundation. 2009, 1 (1): 107-110. [This] funding was a big impetus [for the surveillance and monitoring system]. I am unsure if the vulnerable groups will be taken care of and of the adequacy of the current system to ensure appropriate responses to these peoples needs to be assessed (Municipal public health official) Fifty-three semi-structured interviews were conducted in 2010, four with provincial and federal health officials and 49 with actors in public health and health relevant sectors at the municipal level. So to sum up the key possible risks: damage to infrastructure that will be difficult to repair, changes to the availability of vital resources, and increased risks for those navigating and living in the region. We are probably better suited because we have done the emergency management plans and thought through some of that stuff. 0000108186 00000 n Whats the first thing you think of when you hear the phrase climate change?. Changes by the government of Ontario to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have made a positive impact, and are helping to keep a safe, healthy and clean environment. 0000091936 00000 n It involves catastrophic consequences, like thinning glaciers, more severe weather, unpredictable agricultural growing seasons that can cause food shortages, and wildlife endangerment. 0000120892 00000 n Federal support has facilitated health adaptation via the Ontario Regional Adaptation Collaborative (Natural Resources Canada) in funding research and pilot projects (Health Canada and Public Health Agency of Canada) and informing public health policy. I think providing evidence and best practices in the area of local climate change is certainly something we want to do here. 0000139016 00000 n 3 0 obj Niagaras vector surveillance project will contribute to infectious disease surveillance and monitoring best practices for Canadian health departments (Public Health Agency of Canada). Its up to us to save it and ensure its sustainability for future generations. Human activity is the biggest factor in climate change today. Since 2005, Ontario has dropped greenhouse gas emissions by 22 percent. Parkinson AJ, Bruce MG, Zulz T: International circumpolar international surveillance, an Arctic network for surveillance of infectious diseases. 2009, 373: 1663-1665. 5 0 obj Ontario officials have indicated that awareness raising and education are key roles for public health departments on adapting to climate change. Greening initiatives as part of city plans have multiple benefits of filtering air-pollutants, promoting locally grown food, reducing the urban heat island effect, and storm-water management. With climate change already shaping up as one of the biggest issues on voters minds for this election campaign, here are some of the ways that climate change is predicted to manifest in Atlantic Canada, Central Canada, the West and the North. 0000020587 00000 n It has created the Surplus Food Redistribution Infrastructure program, which redistributes high-quality food to food rescue organizations. They also note that as the ocean warms and subtropical waters shift north, the ocean will become saltier and warmer. Risks are assessed using Hazard Impact Risk Assessments in the public health department and at the community level. 0000114045 00000 n I agree to receive email communications from Unite for Change and CanadaHelps. 0000114548 00000 n 2005, 58: 103-114. Thank you for joining us and taking the first step towards real change. 0000003634 00000 n As the glaciers and Arctic ice melt, sea levels will also rise, increasing the risk of coastal flooding. Please refresh the page and try again. Calgary flood: 5 years later How has disaster response changed since the devastating 2013 floods? 2008, Health Canada, Ottawa. Cookies policy. Drastic action needs to be taken before things get worse. Health department adaptation resources will be required for enhancing programs and will need to come from higher government sources.

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