Creating a Sustainable Canadian Health System in a Climate Crisis (CASCADES)

Creating a Sustainable Canadian Health System in a Climate Crisis (CASCADES) is a multi-year, capacity-building initiative to address healthcare’s role in the climate crisis.

CASCADES is funded by the federal Department of Environment and Climate Change and led by the University of Toronto in partnership with Dalhousie University, the University of British Columbia, and the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care. CASCADES works in partnership with individuals and organizations to support Canada’s healthcare community to transition toward a climate resilient, sustainable, and low carbon health system.

To achieve its aims, CASCADES delivers: (i) training, through continuing professional development courses and learning collaboratives, (ii) support for innovative improvements in service delivery and system design through local and regional, ‘tests’ of change, pan-Canadian spread initiatives, and associated resource development, and (iii) pan-Canadian policy development and advice generation through communities of practice and partnerships with regional and national associations and agencies.

Supporting the following commitments:

• Set a target date by which to achieve health systems net zero emissions (ideally by 2050).
• Deliver a baseline assessment of greenhouse gas emissions of the health system (including supply chains).
• Develop an action plan or roadmap by a set date to develop a sustainable low carbon health system (including supply chains).

Country experience:

Canada