More people feeling concern around climate change, as wildfires burn across Manitoba
With wildfires burning throughout the province and dry conditions impacting the agriculture industry, some are pointing to climate change as the cause.
Now, a new poll conducted by Ipsos shows that nearly half of all Canadians have mounting concerns about climate change.
THE SITUATION IN MANITOBA
Right now, there are close to 130 active wildfires in Manitoba.
Droughts have also led to decimated crops and some producers are selling off their cattle.
Curt Hull, project director for Climate Change Connection, said what we're seeing has been predicted for a long time.
"Things like drought and floods, and severe weather, storms, that kind of thing. Those are the kinds of things that are predicted to be more frequent and more severe, and that's what we're seeing,” Hull said.
GROWING CONCERNS
Concern about climate change is growing among Canadians.
A poll conducted by Ipsos shows that in light of recent weather events, 49 per cent of Canadians say the need to address climate change is more urgent.
That sentiment is even stronger with younger Canadians. Fifty-six per cent of Canadians aged 18 to 34 say they feel climate change is more urgent than they did in the past, compared to 43 per cent of Canadians aged 35 to 54.
Hull said the youth in Canada are the ones who will have to live with the effects of climate change.
"The severe droughts, the severe floods that we're seeing right now are going to get more frequent and severe in the future, and that's their future,” he said.
“That's where they're living, that's where they're going to be living, so rightfully they're concerned about that future."
The Ipsos poll also shows the heightened urgency about climate change is more prevalent in Quebec and British Columbia at 56 and 55 per cent.
In Manitoba, only 44 per cent say they felt an increased urgency.
Hull said one of the keys to fighting climate change is being able to feed ourselves without a reliance on fossil fuels.
CREATING CHANGE
Anderson Family Farm says it has taken steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
"We bought a solar system that basically replaces all our hydro on the farm,” said Brad Anderson of Anderson Family Farm.
“It's a grid-tied system so we get paid for the Hydro we produce and then we buy Hydro back from the grid."
Eric Reder with the Wilderness Committee said people have to act on climate change now to limit the challenges we're going to face in the future.
He said agricultural producers are going to feel the impacts the most.
"The way that they work the land, it's going to change, the way that suburbanites deal with their lawn, or their vehicles or heat or cool their houses, those things are going to have to change,” Reder said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.