| | Follow us on social media! | | Upcoming Event - Nursing Week 2026 Webinar Series | |
In celebration of National Nursing Week 2026 (May 11–15) the Coalition, the Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment (CANE), and the Ontario Nurses’ for the Environment (ONE) are proud to present a webinar series highlighting nursing leadership in planetary health and sustainability.
Join one or all of the FREE virtual sessions to learn how nurses across Canada and beyond are driving sustainable change through advocacy, education, clinical practice, and innovation.
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New Resources -
Sustainable Investment Tools
Are you starting to think about how sustainable investment fits within your foundation’s fiduciary duty and risk management?
Hospital foundations do incredible work raising funds to improve health — and the Healthy Capital Toolkit can help make sure every dollar supports that mission, even while it's invested. You don’t need to have all the answers to get started.
The toolkit is designed to meet foundations wherever they are. These tools give boards the language, frameworks, and resources to explore whether their investment portfolios reflect the same values their organisation stands for — and to meet the growing expectations of the next generation of donors.
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New Fact Sheet -
Solar Energy: Application in Canadian Health Care Facilities
Our latest low carbon energy fact sheet details how solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal technologies can help Canadian health care facilities reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower operating costs, and improve energy resilience. It highlights applications in hospitals, clinics, and long-term care homes, including rooftop solar, hybrid microgrids, and battery storage systems that provide backup power during outages.
This resource was developed as part of the Preparing Canada's Health Care Buildings for Net-Zero project, made possible with investment from the Government of Canada's Low Carbon Economy Implementation Readiness Fund.
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Fly on the Wall: How Climate Change is Impacting our Health
McMaster Faculty of Health Sciences
Climate change is a growing threat to our health and the systems that support it.
Myles Sergeant and Nicholas Kates discuss what needs to happen to reverse the widening intersection of health and climate change.
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The Walrus Talks Wildfires
The Walrus
Max Bell Foundation Presents The Walrus Talks Wildfires took place on April 1, 2026, at the Remai Modern, Saskatoon. Listen to the event recording where expert voices from the health, climate, policy, and emergency management sectors come together to explore the impact of the wildfire crisis.
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Minimizing the Effects of Surgical Care on Climate Change
Choosing Wisely Canada
In this article authors Dr. Wendy Levinson, Irene Chang, and Dr. Sarah Ward explore how implementing small changes in surgical care—from preoperative to postoperative stages—can reduce emissions without compromising patient care.
Using global examples, the article highlights individual and systemic actions in making health care more environmentally sustainable.
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Irish Hospitals Record Substantial Reduction in Greenhouse Emissions from Inhaled Anaesthetic Gases
HSE
Irish public hospitals reduced greenhouse gas emissions from inhaled anaesthetic gases by 27% between 2019 and 2024 through a national collaboration between the HSE and the College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland. Measures included reducing high-emission gases, adopting low-flow and intravenous anaesthesia techniques, and fixing nitrous oxide leaks, helping Ireland progress toward its 2030 climate targets.
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Launching the New Clean Power Prescription project
Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
Learn about CAPE’s new Clean Power Prescription project, which links climate action, health, and energy affordability.
Inspired by similar initiatives in the U.S., the program explores how health care providers can help patients access clean energy solutions that reduce utility costs, improve health outcomes, and lower greenhouse gas emissions, particularly for vulnerable and low-income communities.
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Empowering Patients, Saving the Planet
The University of British Columbia
This article explains how shared decision-making tools help patients better understand the risks and benefits of tests and treatments, enabling care choices aligned with their values. The author argues this approach improves patient outcomes while reducing unnecessary interventions, health care waste, costs, and environmental impacts. By emphasizing patient empowerment, clinicians can support more sustainable, person-centered health care.
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Cooking with Heart: Helping People Build Skills for Better Health
The Beat
The Fraser Health “Cooking with Heart” program, helps people build practical cooking and nutrition skills to improve long-term health and well-being. Through hands-on learning, participants gain confidence preparing healthy, affordable meals while strengthening social connections and food literacy. The initiative supports healthier lifestyles, chronic disease prevention, and community wellness by empowering individuals to make informed food choices and develop sustainable cooking habits.
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Food as Medicine, Culture, and Connection
GreenCare
Bella Coola General Hospital and the Nuxalk Nation are reorienting hospital food services around Indigenous knowledge and community priorities. When a patient at Bella Coola General Hospital (BCGH) sits down to a meal featuring locally harvested fish, wild berries, or traditional teas, something larger is taking place than a change to the menu. The Nuxalk–BCGH Traditional Foods Project is quietly reorienting how a hospital understands food, not as a medical necessity, but as an expression of culture, community, and care.
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Building a Greener Health Care System – with Lea Cote and Myles Boonstra
Shared Health Manitoba
Shared Health Manitoba’s Environmental Sustainability and Energy team is advancing green health care through energy efficiency, waste reduction, renewable energy initiatives, and sustainable infrastructure. The team emphasizes that environmentally sustainable health care supports both public health and climate resilience while reducing emissions, costs, and operational impacts across the health system.
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Reducing Pharmaceutical Waste: Small Changes, Big Impact
The Ottawa Hospital
This article highlights how small operational changes can significantly reduce pharmaceutical waste and health care emissions. Research found that 92% of doses in some inhalers went unused, creating unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions from propellants. In response, The Ottawa Hospital introduced measures such as tamper-proof inhaler seals, recycling initiatives, and better medication return systems to reduce waste, costs, and carbon emissions.
| | Hamilton Health Sciences - 2026 Energy and Environmental Stewardship Award Recipient | |
The Canadian College of Health Leaders is proud to announce that Hamilton Health Sciences was named recipient of the 2026 Energy and Environmental Stewardship Award for their outstanding commitment to sustainability and climate resilience.
As one of Ontario’s largest and most complex health systems, HHS has demonstrated that sustainability and clinical excellence can, and must, go hand in hand. Their achievements are supported by disciplined governance, transparent reporting, and a long-term roadmap toward net-zero emissions by 2050.
Congratulations to Hamilton Health Sciences for this exciting acheivement!
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Health Care and Climate Resilience; Saving Money or Saving the Planet? – Do Both.
Date: May 28, 2026
Time: 12PM - 1PM EST
This VIRTUAL session explores the evolving health care landscape, highlighting the growing impact of climate change on patient demand, service delivery, and system costs. It reframes climate resilience and low-carbon care as essential to performance, supporting efficiency, quality, and better patient outcomes.
Through the CRACCO framework and real-world examples, participants will discover practical, scalable approaches already driving meaningful impact. The session also equips leaders with actionable strategies to advance and expand these initiatives across organizations and systems.
Featured speaker: Dr. Bhavini Gohel, Clinical Associate Professor, University of Calgary; Director of Climate Health System Alliance, O'Brien Public Health Institute.
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Choosing Wisely Canada National Meeting
Date: May 25 & 26, 2026
Location: Globe and Mail Centre, Toronto, ON
Join Choosing Wisely at the Globe and Mail Centre for their National Meeting, in collaboration with the Canadian Medical Association.
Bringing together health professionals, patients, system leaders, and researchers, this two-day event is a unique opportunity to learn about leading Choosing Wisely efforts taking place across the country.
Why you’ll want to attend:
- Engage with the Choosing Wisely community in an energized exchange of ideas on overuse
- Hear about practical and implementable strategies for reducing overuse, and understand their impact
- Network with colleagues who share a commitment to reducing overuse
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Canadian Institute: 9th Annual Forum on Healthcare Infrastructure, Western Canada
Date: June 9-10, 2026
Location: Hilton Vancouver Metrotown, Burnaby, BC
This highly anticipated forum convenes capital planners, clinical leads, architects, engineers, and contractors to share actionable strategies that address the most pressing issues impacting the design and delivery of health care facilities. Through insightful case studies, panel discussions, and solution-driven conversations, attendees gain fresh perspectives on optimizing space, integrating technology, and delivering high-performing, patient-centred environments.
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Canadian Institute: 9th Annual Forum on Healthcare Infrastructure, Atlantic Canada
Date: July 15-16, 2026
Location: Atlantica Hotel Halifax, Halifax, NS
Attend CI’s Forum in Halifax for timely insights on how global trade, local conditions and cutting-edge technology are influencing project delivery.
Confer with health care infrastructure leaders about what needs to change to smooth out the capital project planning process, improve health care infrastructure design and delivery.
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Have you registered as an organ donor?
Contact your local organ donation agency and speak to your family about your wishes. You have the power to save and transform lives. Learn more and register to donate HERE.
| | The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care is Canada’s premier green health care resource network, leading the evolution of green in Canada’s health sector as a national voice and catalyst for environmental change. www.greenhealthcare.ca | |
Some articles referred to in the Digest make reference to services and/or product offerings from specific suppliers. The CCGHC recommends that readers research the service and product offerings available through a wider range of suppliers for comparison purposes and in keeping with public sector purchasing guidelines. These articles should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any product or service. | | | | |
