Key Takeaways
- 2025 was the third warmest year on record, with temperatures 1.47 degrees warmer than pre-industrial levels.
- Canada is warming faster than the global average, with the loss of snow and sea ice contributing to increased temperatures.
- The country endured its second worst wildfire season on record in 2025, with over 89,000 square kilometers of forest burned.
- Catastrophic losses in Canada have grown by about 9.3 per cent annually since the early 1980s, with estimated losses of $9.2 billion in 2025.
- Climate change is affecting various aspects of life in Canada, including extreme heat, sea ice decline, and food prices.
Introduction to Climate Change
The past year has been marked by significant climate-related events, with 2025 being the third warmest year on record. According to data from the European climate agency, Copernicus, the year was 1.47 degrees warmer than pre-industrial levels. This follows the previous year’s record-setting 1.6 degrees, and when combined with 2023, it’s the first three-year period on record to exceed 1.5 degrees. The current rate of warming suggests that the 2015 Paris Agreement’s long-term global warming limit of 1.5 degrees could be reached by the end of this decade, about a decade earlier than predicted.
Wildfires in Canada
Canada is warming even faster than the global average, with the loss of snow and sea ice contributing to increased temperatures. The country endured its second worst wildfire season on record in 2025, with over 89,000 square kilometers of forest burned. This is more than three times larger than the area burned in the early 1970s, with human-caused climate change being a significant factor. Mike Flannigan, a professor of wildland fire at Thompson Rivers University, notes that warming temperatures are key to worsening forest fires, as they lead to longer fire seasons, more frequent lightning strikes, and drier vegetation.
Catastrophic Losses
The burning of fossil fuels is driving climate change, which is reshaping life in Canada and for Canadians. The Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction estimates that Canada suffers an average of about $9.2 billion in annual losses from catastrophes, defined as events resulting in at least $30 million in insured losses. The estimates also account for uninsured losses, with many of these losses incurred during wildfires or periods of extreme weather. The research institute notes that when adjusted for inflation, the losses have grown by about 9.3 per cent annually since the early 1980s, far outpacing population, GDP, and construction spending.
Extreme Heat
As temperatures rise, so too does the number of days where Canadians are exposed to extreme heat. Dr. Samantha Green, a Toronto family physician, notes that this can be dangerous, especially for vulnerable groups such as isolated seniors and outdoor workers. Extended stretches of extreme heat can worsen chronic conditions such as diseases affecting the heart, lung, and kidneys. Montreal’s public health department reported three heat-related deaths during a heat wave in August 2025, with federal government scientists finding that the heat wave was at least two to 10 times more likely due to climate change.
Sea Ice Decline
The decline of sea ice is another significant climate-related issue in Canada. Copernicus data shows that 2025 was a record year for declining sea ice across both poles, with the combined sea ice cover from both poles being the lowest it’s been since satellite observations started in the late 1970s. Environment and Climate Change Canada notes that summer sea ice cover across Canada’s northern waters has declined by about seven per cent each decade since the late 1960s. The Arctic Ocean could become virtually ice-free by mid-century, and possibly even sooner, largely due to planet-warming emissions.
Climate Change and Food Prices
Climate change is also affecting food prices in Canada. Coffee prices, for example, have increased by 27.8 per cent in the past year, according to Statistics Canada data. Food economist Mike von Massow notes that climate-related impacts, such as rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall, are driving up coffee prices. Similarly, surging lettuce prices in late 2025 were likely influenced by extreme weather and disease issues in Southern California, where Canada gets much of its supply. Drought conditions have also pushed up beef prices as farmers struggle to keep up their herds and afford feed costs.
Conclusion
In conclusion, climate change is having a significant impact on Canada, with rising temperatures, wildfires, catastrophic losses, extreme heat, sea ice decline, and food price increases all being affected. The country is warming faster than the global average, and the current rate of warming suggests that the 2015 Paris Agreement’s long-term global warming limit of 1.5 degrees could be reached by the end of this decade. It is essential for Canadians to take urgent action to address climate change and mitigate its effects on the environment, economy, and human health.