Interior Health has taken an innovative approach to exploring climate change by creating Community Health and Climate Change maps.
“Recent events have demonstrated the importance of planning and preparing for natural disasters associated with climate change,” says Interior Health president and CEO, Susan Brown. “These new Community Health and Climate Change maps will support the safety and wellbeing of people living across the region and we encourage everyone to take the opportunity now to plan for the effects of climate change.”
The Community Health and Climate Change maps will help governments and partners in their municipal planning by helping them understand climate-sensitive areas that could impact their building or expansion projects.
“The maps show the communities that are most vulnerable to different climate hazards and allow us to focus our efforts and work together to plan and prepare,” says Dr. Sue Pollock, Chief Medical Health Officer. “For example, the maps show communities that may be more affected by heat; this information helps us identify appropriate actions that communities can take in order to keep people healthy and safe.”