Media Release: September 15, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New report presents municipal solutions for healthier, more equitable and climate-resilient communities
TORONTO, Ontario — September 15, 2026 —The Canadian Urban Environmental Health Research Consortium (CANUE) and the Canadian Health Association for Sustainability and Equity (CHASE) released a new report today, Building Healthy, Equitable and Climate-Resilient Communities: 10 Municipal Case Studies.
Human-induced climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heat, floods, and wildfires across Canada. Although these events pose health risks for everyone, certain populations are disproportionately affected. As municipalities work to reduce the impacts of climate-related events, they must also consider the associated health risks and identify the neighbourhoods and populations that are most vulnerable to harm.
Developed with funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)’s Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation (LLCA) initiative , the report provides municipal staff, public health practitioners, and community partners with practical examples of local actions that strengthen climate resilience while reducing climate-related health risks – both for the general public and for those that may be disproportionately affected.
“This report summarizes the health risks associated with extreme heat and flooding in urban environments and identifies the populations that can be most vulnerable to these climate-related events,” said Dr. Dany Doiron, Managing Director of CANUE. “It also outlines how geospatial tools can be used to identify the neighbourhoods in our communities that would benefit most from climate adaptation projects.”
“This report presents 10 projects that are being implemented at a municipal level to reduce extreme heat and flooding in urban centres,” said Kim Perrotta, Executive Director of CHASE. “All but one of these projects employ nature-based solutions and most have taken steps to prioritize the populations in their communities that face the greatest risks.”
“The ten case studies identify the challenges involved in bringing about policy change in a municipal environment as well as the lessons learned by these early adopters,” said Marie-Claude Allard, Communications Lead for CANUE.
The report can be downloaded in English at: Building Healthy, Equitable & Climate Resilient Communities: 10 Municipal Case Studies.
About CANUE: The Canadian Urban Environmental Health Research Consortium (CANUE) is a national research consortium that collates, develops and mobilizes high-quality, standardized data on the environments in which Canadians live. By making standardized environmental exposure data available for research, planning, and decision-making, CANUE supports efforts to improve health, advance health equity, and build more sustainable and climate-resilient communities.
About CHASE: The Canadian Health Association for Sustainability and Equity (CHASE) is a non-profit organization, directed and run by public health professionals, that aims to build capacity for climate mitigation and adaptation among public health professionals and municipal staff.
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Media Contact:
Marie-Claude Allard
Communications Director
CANUE, marie.allard@canue.ca
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