If we don’t rapidly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, climate change will cost the Canadian health care system an additional $110 billion annually within the next 25 years.

Climate change fuels wildfires and extreme heat, like the 2021 heat dome that killed 619 people — the worst weather-related mass casualty event in Canadian history.

First Nations communities in BC face disproportionate impacts, with over 40 per cent of wildfire-related evacuations occurring in majority-Indigenous communities.

Every new pipeline, LNG facility and home hooked up to fracked gas is a step in the wrong direction for our collective health.

Scientific reviews point to numerous health harms from fracking, including higher rates of birth defects, childhood leukemia, asthma, heart disease and premature death.

Fracking and LNG facilities release hazardous air pollutants and can contaminate water sources, posing serious risks to drinking water and leading to gastrointestinal problems, endocrine disruption and reproductive disorders.

A recent study found higher levels of carcinogens in the air and tap water of First Nations women living near BC fracking operations.

The fracking and LNG industry is linked to increased crime, substance abuse and domestic violence in local communities, as well as inflated housing costs.

Indigenous communities face unique harms when their relationships to land and water are disrupted, eroding intergenerational knowledge and spiritual practices.

Many British Columbians already struggle to get healthcare when they need it. ER closures and doctor shortages are far too common in Indigenous and rural communities.

The oil and gas industry is making these problems worse. At least seven doctors have closed their practices and moved their families away from Dawson Creek in northeast BC – a region where fracking fuels BC’s LNG industry.

They blamed health concerns and community impacts as their primary reasons for leaving. In a town that typically employs 15-20 family physicians, this represents almost half the workforce.

Industrial work camps are associated with higher rates of gender-based violence, sexual harassment, exploitation and human trafficking.

The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls made it clear that extractive industries must centre the safety and dignity of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people — yet LNG expansion is proceeding without these safeguards.

When gas burns and leaks in buildings, people are exposed to harmful air pollutants including nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and benzene.

Children who live in homes with gas stoves face a 42% higher risk of developing asthma, similar to the risk of living with a smoker.

Natural gas appliances also generate a staggering amount of British Columbia's carbon pollution, including almost 60% of all greenhouse gas emissions in Vancouver. Despite these health risks, approximately 10,000 new homes in BC are still connected to gas every year.

Read more about the problem of “natural” gas in buildings and its solutions at heatcookbreathe.ca.