In the face of British Columbia’s climate disasters, community social services are becoming ad-hoc humanitarians.

Author Brennan Doherty
Community social service agencies are taking on emergency disaster relief work as torrential flooding across B.C. destroys homes and blocks highways.

Why It Matters

Floods, wildfires, and extreme heat are becoming increasingly normal thanks to global heating — and their knock-on effects include the kinds of challenges community social services are well-equipped to handle, such as food and housing insecurity.

var TRINITY_TTS_WP_CONFIG = {"cleanText":"In the face of British Columbia\u2019s climate disasters, community social services are becoming ad-hoc humanitarians.. United Way B.C.\u2019s emergency fund to help residents recover from 2021\u2019s devastating summer wildfires was still active as the first raindrops from an atmospheric river touched down on British Columbia in mid-November, triggering catastrophic flooding and mudslides.\u00a0 Canada\u2019s westernmost province is becoming a case study in the sheer tempo of climate disasters thanks to climate change. On top of an opioid crisis that routinely kills more people every day than COVID-19, B.C. faced temperatures last summer more akin to the Middle East than the West Coast, along with wildfires that burned the town of Lytton off the map.\u00a0\u

Future of Good journalism and events produce insightful analysis and knowledge you need to work and grow.

Read this article with a free account or explore membership options for unlimited access.