Human health and the environment are intimately connected. Environmental factors play a role in more than 80 percent of the diseases reported to the World Health Organization, and the WHO considers that a full quarter of the global disease burden can be attributed to preventable environmental health hazards. i Estimates for Canada indicate that adverse environmental exposures are associated with up to 25,000 deaths, 194,000 hospitalizations, 1.8 million restricted activity days for asthma sufferers, and 24,000 new cases of cancer each year, costing the economy as much as $9.1 billion. ii
Preventing pollutants and toxics from entering our environment and bodies would have a profound effect on the health of ordinary Canadians.
But international comparisons show Canada falling behind in protecting its citizens from environmental threats to their health.
The David Suzuki Foundation advocates for policies to bring Canadian environmental health standards up to par with the best in the world.
i Prüss-Üstün A and Corvalán. Preventing Disease Through Healthy Environments. World Health Organization. 2006.
ii Boyd DR, Genuis SJ. The Environmental Burden of Disease in Canada: Respiratory Disease, Cardiovascular Disease, Cancer, and Congenital Affliction. Environ Res. 2008 Feb;106(2):240-9. Epub 2007 Sep 29.