Climate Migration in Canada: A Growing Concern

Canada is no stranger to the devastating impacts of climate change. As the country enters wildfire season, the consequences of rising temperatures and changing weather patterns are being felt across the nation. Communities in northern Saskatchewan have been issued evacuation orders, while in Manitoba, the Pimicikamak Cree Nation worked to evacuate hundreds of people as wildfires closed in. Meanwhile, smoke from those fires has caused air-quality issues across the country.

However, the effects of climate change go beyond wildfires. Flooding in the Kashechewan Cree First Nation in Northern Ontario has led to the evacuation of 1,600 residents. This is not an isolated incident; the 2018 United Nations Climate Conference called for all states to adopt measures to address displacement related to climate change. Figures from the conference indicate that by 2050, over 140 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America could become internal climate migrants.

Canada is also not immune to the effects of climate migration. In 2023, a record 192,000 people were evacuated due to climate-related disasters. The World Bank defines internal climate migration as having to relocate for at least a decade to a location 14 kilometres or more away from one's community due to climate impacts.

Key Takeaways:

• The Canadian government has understated the reality of internal climate migration in its submissions under the Paris Agreement, obscuring the gravity of this phenomenon.
• The Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) from 2021 recognizes climate change's disproportionate impact on certain populations but does not address temporary displacement or internal climate migration.
• The Fort McMurray wildfires displaced over 80,000 people in 2016, with a population decline of 11% between 2015 and 2018.
• The 2019 Québec spring floods displaced over 10,000 people, and hundreds of low-income families abandoned the city of Sainte-Marie due to unaffordable reconstructed homes.
• A National Adaptation Act could provide a comprehensive framework to bolster adaptation action across Canada.
• Indigenous Peoples in Canada experience flawed adaptation policies and institutional barriers that hinder their ability to respond to climate emergencies effectively.
• They evacuate 328 times more frequently than settler communities during climate disasters.
• A clear definition of internal climate migrants in Canada is needed, as is robust data and better co-ordination among Indigenous, municipal, provincial, and federal governments.
• This requires transparency and accountability, including a federal adaptation strategy that addresses internal climate migration and helps coordinate efforts across governments.
• International experts have emphasized the need for a sound evidence base on climate-induced mobility, as well as the adoption of climate-resilient urban planning and adaptation policies that involve indigenous communities.
• Brazil, Germany, and Japan have already adopted National Adaptation Acts to address climate migration, which Canada should consider following suit.

Statistics:

• By 2050, over 140 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America could become internal climate migrants.
• 192,000 people were evacuated in Canada in 2023 due to climate-related disasters.
• The Fort McMurray wildfires displaced over 80,000 people in 2016, resulting in an 11% decline in population between 2015 and 2018.
• Over 10,000 people were displaced during the 2019 Québec spring floods.
• Hundreds of low-income families abandoned Sainte-Marie due to unaffordable reconstructed homes.
• Indigenous Peoples in Canada evacuate 328 times more frequently than settler communities during climate disasters.

Sources:

• The Conversation -- Canada -- By Christopher Campbell-Duruflé
• The Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) from 2021
• The Canadian National Adaptation Strategy
• Tr×­ondȽk HwȽch×­in First Nation and Makivvik
• The United Nations Climate Conference
• The World Bank
• The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada