What to know
- A new Canadian Climate Institute analysis estimates wildfire smoke has contributed to 2,500 premature deaths annually and $231 billion in health-related economic costs across Canada since 2014.
- Researchers say wildfire smoke exposure has become more frequent and severe since 2019, suggesting smoky summer days are increasingly becoming part of Canada’s “new normal.”
- Experts say wildfire smoke can trigger immediate health problems such as asthma attacks, breathing difficulties and bronchitis, while long-term exposure is linked to higher risks of heart disease, cancer and other chronic illnesses.
- Researchers say the vast majority of wildfire smoke’s economic toll comes from long-term health impacts rather than short-term medical care, highlighting the lasting consequences of repeated exposure.
A new study is suggesting wildfire smoke is becoming a persistent public health issue, and it’s costing Canada billions of dollars and thousands of lives each year.
Since Wednesday morning, Toronto has been under an orange warning for poor air quality, as wildfires in northwestern Ontario cover the province in smoke.
These conditions pose several health risks for exposed residents, who could face irritation, headaches, shortness of breath and respiratory issues, especially for those suffering from pre-existing conditions, according to experts.
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Smoky summers becoming the new normal
A new analysis of wildfire data by the Canadian Climate Institute (CCI) is suggesting that smoky days, such as the ones seen this week, are becoming common across the country.
Upon analyzing data dating back to 2014, Dave Sawyer, the research author and Principal Economist with the CCI, said that the number of more frequent and intense wildfire smoke exposure has been increasing since 2019.
“I think a lot of people in Ontario, in particular, woke up in 2023 and said, ‘What? I thought smoke was an out-west thing, a British Columbia thing,’ and that was very new. We’d always had some smoke, but just never to that extent,” he told Now Toronto.
“It happened again in 2025, and this year, in 2026, is particularly bad. So, people sort of have this feeling that ‘Oh, this seems to have gotten worse.’ The data shows it.”
Last year, Torontonians faced poor air quality alerts coming from several wildfires in Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and northwestern Ontario, which caused smoke to drift into southern parts of the province.
This year, the province is under alert again, as more smoke comes down from northwestern Ontario wildfires, with Toronto recording one of the worst air quality indexes in the world on Wednesday.
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As scientists continue to warn that heat waves are expected to become more frequent and intense as climate change continues to advance, wildfires could also become more persistent, and consequently, so do smoky days.
“We’re having more wind events and more ice storms and more winter storms. That knocks down trees. The trees then sit there, and then you have a heat event like we’ve [had] in Ontario for a bunch of days, and that dries everything out even more. And then lightning hits, and and there you go, it takes off,” Sawyer added.
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Wildfire smoke estimated to cause 2,500 premature deaths per year
As Canadians brave through more smoky days, many are facing the adverse health impacts of doing so, including the emergence of acute and chronic health issues linked to being exposed to smoke.
As explained by Sawyer, acute health issues related to smoke include those happening in real time due to exposure. This includes, for example, having an asthma attack or bronchitis attack because of the smoke.
Meanwhile, many might also face chronic consequences for being exposed to smoky air long-term, which can lead to increased risk of heart attacks and cancer rates.
According to the data analysis, wildfire smoke across Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta is estimated to have contributed to about eight million health events, respiratory symptoms and restricted activities.
As the concentration of smoke particles has also increased over the past few years, more Canadians are also facing the long-term consequences of exposure, according to Sawyer, with the study finding that wildfire smoke is associated with about 2,500 premature deaths in Canada per year.
“The particulate matter in the smoke, the PM 2.5, goes through the lungs into the blood, and then once it goes into the blood, it causes inflammation. Inflammation in time is a killer; it restricts blood flow, and you can have all kinds of events there,” Sawyer said.
Wildfire smoke cost Canada $231 billion since 2014
As Canadians, service providers, and governments deal with the health impacts of constant smoke exposure, the CCI analysis suggests the country is also facing billions of dollars in costs associated with these impacts.
According to the study, wildfire smoke has caused an estimated cost of $5.3 billion in acute health issues between 2014 and 2025, including emergency room visits and additional health costs, days in which residents were not able to engage in outdoors activities, and lost wages.
Still, these acute health costs are only about three per cent of the total economic loss related to smoke-linked health issues, as are most of the costs related to chronic conditions.
During that same period, chronic health issues led to about $226 billion in costs, which represents an average of $19 billion per year across the country.
