Carney’s plan should emphasize public health rather than fossil fuels
The Liberal government needs to prioritize giving Canadians a longer and more prosperous life rather than aligning itself with the fossil fuel industry.
Mark Carney
A new Clean Energy Canada polls suggests 85 per cent of Canadians want stronger federal climate action. But Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government appears to be moving in the opposite direction, write Richard van der Jagt, Maria Medeleanu, and Geoff Strong. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
OPINION | BY RICHARD VAN DER JAGT, MARIA MEDELEANU, GEOFF STRONG
July 9, 2025
The global climate is warming due to carbon dioxide levels being at record levels. Indeed, the past 10 years were the 10 warmest years on record, with 2024 being the warmest of all. Canada is warming faster than almost anywhere else on Earth.
The climate crisis is no longer a distant threat—it is accelerating, becoming hotter and more unpredictable at a faster rate than scientists anticipated. Climate warming, resulting from the burning of fossil fuels, is also causing more frequent and intense heat waves.
These heat waves threaten the safety, well-being, and prosperity of Canadians, even in cities that have historically had more moderate climates, such as Vancouver, Whitehorse, and Halifax. Every ounce of fossil fuels we burn harms our health by polluting the air we breathe, impairing brain function, increasing mortality, and affecting the future of our children.
Dr. Richard van der Jagt. Handout photograph
Air pollution created by burning fossil fuels increases respiratory disease in children, and worsens breathing for people who already have fragile lungs. Hospitalizations for respiratory illnesses are rising, while families living near fire zones face disproportionate health burdens. These impacts are magnified in lower-income communities, where access to clean air and health care is limited.
Rising temperatures are also contributing to obstructive sleep apnea, a condition now affecting between 15 and 32 per cent of Canadians that often leads to premature death. A global study of more than 116,000 adults across 41 countries found that extreme heat increased the odds of obstructive sleep apnea by 45 per cent on any given night. This translates to nearly 800,000 lost healthy life years and an estimated US$32-billion in lost workplace productivity.
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READ MORE ON THIS ISSUE:
Canada’s next top doctor must be a ‘focal point’ for public health amid changes in the U.S., concerns about next pandemic
Canada can’t ignore climate change just because the U.S. is missing in action
Breaking down C-5: Carney’s ‘build, baby, build’ bill draws support from business sector, but heavy pushback from environmental, Indigenous groups
Maria Medeleanu. Handout photograph
Air pollution also impairs children’s brain development, has been linked to dementia, and will be the third-biggest killer worldwide by 2040. The costs of brain disorders to the individual, their caregivers, the economy, and to society are incalculable. Even unborn children are affected, with prenatal exposure linked to long-term developmental issues.
Finally, as massive wildfires become more frequent in Canada, the effects of wildfire-related air pollution are rapidly growing especially for children: increased rates of asthma, impaired cognition, diabetic control, mental health problems and long-term risks like cancer.
It also reduces the ability to have healthy pregnancies through decreased sperm quality, pregnancy loss, fertility and adverse birth outcomes. Wildfire smoke exposure also leads to increased rates of hospitalization for respiratory disease.
A recent survey of Canadian Medical Association members, which was conducted on behalf of the World Health Organization and the Global Climate and Health Alliance, showed 95 per cent of respondents recognized the impacts of climate change.
Public support directly follows with 67 per cent of Canadians preferring clean energy, and 85 per cent wanting stronger federal climate action, according to a poll published on June 17, from Clean Energy Canada.
Geoff Strong. Handout photograph
But Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government appears to be moving in the opposite direction, planning to build more pipelines that would wreak more havoc at even greater cost to our current annual health care bill of $372-billion—$9,054/per Canadian—which is 12.4 per cent of Canada’s GDP and rising.
While we can’t return to the world we once had, we still have the opportunity to shape a liveable future, but time is short. The next decade will be critical in determining whether we can protect current and future generations from the worst impacts of climate change.
The Carney government needs to prioritize giving Canadians a longer and more prosperous life rather than aligning itself with the fossil fuel industry. Developing a transnational clean energy grid and utilizing Canada’s potential in geothermal energy could be beneficial both economically and for the future generations.
Richard van der Jagt is a retired hematologist/oncologist, an adjunct professor of medicine at the University of Ottawa, and a member of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Maria Medeleanu, PhD, is a medical student at Queen’s University, a researcher at the Hospital for Sick Children, and a member of Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Geoff Strong is an atmospheric/climate scientist by profession and a fellow of the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society.
The Hill Times