Potential Impacts

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Recent research on the potential impacts of climate change in Canada has revealed that a warming climate could have wide-ranging effects on Canada's environment and the human community.

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The potential impacts of climate change in Canada can be shown in the following areas:

1. The growing season is expected to be warmer and longer. It is possible that not all agriculture may benefit from this change since the plants may not adapt as quickly to the rate at which changes in the growing season occur (research in biologic engineering of plant seeds has been ongoing and successful).
2. Navigation is likely to improve in seasons with ice-covered waters due to a warmer climate that would cause a later freezing and an earlier break-up date for ice in waterways.
3. A shorter warmer winter would lower space heating costs.
4. Sea level is expected to rise, which will cause flooding and erosion in many coastal regions.
5. The move of the permafrost limit towards the north could potentially extend the forest zone and the habitat for both animal and plant species towards the north, but the extendibility may be constrained by the soil quality and the adaptability of species.
6. Forests (particularly boreal forests) could be at higher risk of fire, pests and drought.
7. While a warmer temperature could be of benefit to commercial agriculture for Ontario, Quebec and the Prairies, increased risks of drought and insect infestations will add stress to crops, and thus may affect the crop yield.
8. Both the Pacific and the Atlantic fisheries are expected to be at risk, as climate change may affect both the population and the range of species which are notably sensitive to changes in water temperature.
9. Primarily in southern Canada, increasing drought may also threaten water resources, causing decreases in water quality and quantity.
10. There could be increased frequency of extreme weather conditions, such as floods, droughts, winter storms, heat waves and tornadoes.
11. The increasing frequency and severity of heat waves may lead to an increase in heat stress and death, especially among the very young, the elderly and the ill. A number of indirect impacts are also expected on human health, including an increasing incidence of respiratory disorders, infectious diseases, and allergy problems.

This Module

The potential impacts of climate change on the environment and the human community for Canada are expected to occur, but with significant regional variations. This module is aimed at representing these regional patterns. The maps currently present in this module represent the module's first phase. Seven maps are included in this phase, addressing the sensitivity of five elements of Canada's environment to climate change. These elements are:

• Coastlines
• River regions
• Soils sensitive to wind erosion
• Peatlands
• Forest fires