Canada's climate crisis now largely irreversible, federal report warns of 3.5°C warming

Environment and Climate Change Canada released a report authored by nearly two dozen government and climate science experts concluding that the impacts of climate change in Canada are now largely irreversible. The report is the second from the agency examining changes to Canada's climate.

Average temperatures across Canada are expected to rise at least 3.5°C by the end of the century under current global net-zero commitments, and 5°C if current policies continue unchanged. Under current policies, there is a 50 per cent chance that winter temperatures will increase more than 10°C in much of Nunavut. Glaciers in Western Canada are projected to lose more than 75 per cent of their mass.

Even if the world reaches net-zero emissions by 2075, Canada will still see nearly a 50 per cent increase in the area burned by wildfires. Ryan Ness, adaptation research director at the Canadian Climate Institute, said "Canada is falling behind on adaptation work to prepare for these changes" and emphasized that "the country needs to do more to protect communities from the increased risk of wildfires and floods in the years to come."

In Toronto, wildfire smoke has become a regular feature of summer air quality since 2023, and the region experienced several major storms in 2024. As HighOnCity reported in 2024, eighteen Toronto banks, pensions and asset managers were responsible for financing emissions almost twice Canada's total emissions.