Grant: Catalyst Grant: CPHO Report - General Pool

Canada has been and is continuing to warm, on average, at double the magnitude compared to the world. Extreme weather events that are associated with this change in climate, such as wildfires, floods and storms, drought, and extreme heat, are becoming more frequent and severe, with immense impacts, as evidenced by the deadly heat dome over Western Canada and the record-breaking destructive flooding in BC, both occurring in 2021. Previous research has looked at the environmental consequences and community impacts of climate change and extreme weather events but has largely ignored the impacts on Canadian workers. Workers may be particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events because they may have to address the event as part of their work duties (e.g. during emergency response or disaster clean-up). Additionally, they may have limited ability to protect themselves from exposures related to the event (e.g. to reduce exposure to wildfire-associated air pollution, it is generally recommended that individuals stay indoors, but this might not be possible for outdoor workers). In this project, we will estimate the number of Canadian workers impacted by extreme weather events, and examine how the numbers vary by province, age group, sex, and select socioeconomic variables. We will also strengthen connections between researchers and occupational health organizations in preparation for collective action on health protection in the face of more frequent extreme weather events due to climate change. This study will help fill a significant gap in our collective knowledge and provide a new equity-informed public health indicator to better understand climate change impacts on the health of Canadian workers.