Climate Change & Social and Economic Impacts

In addition to impacting the Earth’s ecosystems, climate change will affect our daily lives in many ways, including our health and recreational opportunities.

Climate change will have both positive and negative impacts on tourism and recreation in Ontario.  For example, it is expected that warm-weather tourism and recreational opportunities will increase and opportunities for winter-based activities (such as ice fishing and skiing) will disappear in some parts of Ontario.

To learn more about how Ontario’s recreation and tourism activities could be affected by climate change, read the following report:

• Climate Change Research Report 08: Climate change and nature-based tourism, outdoor recreation, and forestry in Ontario: Potential effects and adaptation strategies

Climate change will also impact human health.  Some health related issues may be:

• injuries due to an increase in severe weather events like floods and wind storms
• increased risk of heat stress
• exposure to diseases and parasites such as Lyme disease and
• increased respiratory diseases

The following report provides more information about the known and potential impacts of diseases and parasites associated with climate change:

Forest Research Information Paper No. 154: A Synopsis of Known and Potential Diseases and Parasites Associated with Climate Change

More information about the social, economic, health and safety impacts of climate change in Ontario, can be found in the following reports and publications.

Contact Applied Research and Development Branch for information on how to obtain these reports:

• McAlpine, R.S. 1999. Searching for a Climate Change Effect in Fire Management Expenditures. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 9(3): 203-206.

• Wotton, M., K. Logan, and R. McAlpine. 2005. Climate Change and the Future Fire Environment in Ontario: Fire Occurrence and Fire Management Impacts in Ontario Under a Changing Climate. Climate Change Research Report CCRR-01, Ministry of Natural Resources, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. 23pp.

• Noland, T. L., G. McVey, and D. Chapeskie. 2005. 1998 Ice Storm Effects on the Health and Productivity of Sugar Bushes of Eastern Ontario: Part 2.  Maple Digest, 17A(1): 13-21.