A paper published in the journal, Environmental Research, in May 2023 found that the oil and gas sector in the United States caused air pollution that contributed to asthma, including in children, and caused 7,500 excess deaths, with $77 billion in total health impacts.
Seven Canadian nonprofits and charities, including the Pembina Institute, have drafted a letter to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Steven Guilbeault, and the Minister of Health, Mark Holland, asking that the equivalent health impacts in Canada be considered. We propose a cost-benefit analysis of the health impacts of oil and gas be included in key environmental policies, such as the cap on oil & gas emissions, methane regulation and Clean Electricity Regulations.
The signatories to the letter are:
Robb Barnes, Climate Program Director, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
Caroline Brouillette, Executive Director, Climate Action Network Canada
Severn Cullis-Suzuki, Executive Director, David Suzuki Foundation
Tim Gray, Executive Director, Environmental Defence Canada
Ari Pottens, Senior Campaign Manager, Environmental Defense Fund
Chris Severson-Baker, Executive Director, Pembina Institute
Mark Zacharias, Executive Director, Clean Energy Canada
