Goal 3: Roadmap for Planetary Health and Sustainable Health Systems for Canadian Medical Professionals
Roadmap for the Implementation of the Declaration on Planetary Health:
We aim to transform medical education in Canada by integrating planetary health into curricula, clinical practice, and policy advocacy.
On October 6th POWER co-hosted a 🇨🇦 national working session with the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) at The Globe and Mail Centre in Toronto, presented with the Trottier Family Foundation.
✋🏼✋🏻✋🏾 As participants in the room raised their hands to endorse moving forward with discussions about setting up a National Resource Center on Planetary Health—on the first National Day for Action on Planetary Health— we felt like we were standing at the dawn of the next era of PlanetaryHealth in Canada. 🇨🇦
The sector gathered to implement the Roadmap for Planetary Health and Sustainable Health Systems for Canadian Medical Professionals — a framework co-led by Dr. Courtney Howard, Raissa Marks and the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC), now endorsed by all the deans of Canada’s faculties of medicine.
The morning, facilited by Raissa Marks, opened with remarks from:
🎤 Dr. Margot Burnell, President of the Canadian Medical Association
🎤 Dr. Courtney Howard, POWER Founder, President of the Northwest Territories Medical Association, and Chair of the Global Climate and Health Alliance, who grounded the conversation in lived experience and planetary urgency;
🎤 William Gagnon, Director of Strategy at POWER and Director of Implementation at the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care, who shared stories of health-system decarbonization solutions from across Canada 🇨🇦 and Singapore — illustrating what’s possible through innovation and partnership; and
💻 Dr. Sarah Cook, President-Elect of the The College of Family Physicians of Canada | Le Collège des médecins de famille du Canada (CFPC), highlighting the vital role of hashtag#PrimaryCare in planetary health.
A dynamic panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Courtney Howard, brought together national leaders advancing the movement for sustainable, climate-resilient health systems:
🪑 Dr. Margot Burnell — President of the Canadian Medical Association
🪑 Dr. Marcia Clark — President of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
🪑 Dr. Myles Sergeant — Executive Director of the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care
🪑 Dr. Ojistoh Horn — President of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada IPAC
🪑 Krista Mahoney, PhD — Implementation Lead, Quality of Care NL
🪑 Dr. Constance LeBlanc — President and CEO, Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC)
Together, participants explored how collaboration, education, and coordinated leadership can transform Canada’s health systems for the wellbeing of both people and planet. It was a joy to watch the group play Raissa’s policy board game.
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Watch the July 17 webinar on the Roadmap:
New Proposed Structures:
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Blocks in purple are new proposed structures.
The visual roadmap is also available in French.
La feuille de route visuelle est aussi disponible en français.
As climate change increasingly threatens Canadians’ health—from deadly heatwaves and wildfires to rising eco-anxiety—our healthcare system must be equipped to respond. Yet most medical schools lack sufficient education on climate and health. This campaign identifies current efforts, uncovers critical gaps in knowledge, leadership, and resources, and offers a path forward. Grounded in Indigenous knowledge systems and aligned with global health and sustainability goals, the campaign empowers future physicians to lead in a climate-resilient, low-carbon healthcare future.