Northern Ontario’s seven public health units are teaming up to work together on climate change reports.
That includes the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit. The reports are aimed at examining the effects climate change is having and will have on human health.
Funding for the project, which spans the next two years, is coming from Health Canada.
The health unit says climate change is a threat to human health around the world. The changing environment will bring new health issues, and existing issues may get worse.
The reports developed during this project will help health units understand what changes to expect and what preparations need to be made.
The effects of climate change are expected to more severe in northern Ontario than they are in the southern part of the province. Other factors, such as differences in geography, population density, and Indigenous populations mean the health effects of climate change will be felt differently than in southern Ontario as well.
The other health units taking part are Algoma Public Health, Northwestern Health Unit, Porcupine Health Unit, Public Health Sudbury & Districts, Thunder Bay District Health Unit, and Timiskaming Health Unit. The project is administered at Northwestern Health Unit on behalf of the group.
Dr. Kit Young-Hoon, Medical Officer of Health at Northwestern Health Unit says “a project staff person will work with the health units to create common tools and information so they can each engage stakeholders at the local level.”
The purpose of these local meetings will be to educate partners about the effect of climate change on health and explore possible future policies and programs that might help people adapt to the changes that are happening. Separate reports will be produced for each health unit’s region.