-by Megan Wilde Communications Manager
Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE)
For a health perspective on Premier Houston’s remarks yesterday regarding the grid operator’s focus on gas for electricity, I’d like to offer the following reaction from Dr. Catherine Cervin, a retired family physician in Halifax and chair of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment – Nova Scotia.
“I’m very pleased that Premier Tim Houston agrees there’s been too much focus on building out gas infrastructure to meet our electricity needs. I hope his message will spur the province’s independent energy operator to broaden the request for proposals to include battery storage. The premier can help level the playing field by requiring that cost estimates for energy technologies include not only the hardware, but also the cost to health. Health Canada attributes about 390 premature deaths a year in Nova Scotia to air pollution from all sources. Those deaths don’t appear on any utility’s balance sheet.
“The medical and scientific evidence tells us people living and working near fossil fuel plants, including gas plants, are more likely to be hospitalized for asthma and heart attacks, and have higher risk of certain cancers. Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. Children’s lungs are still developing, and older adults are more likely to already have heart and lung conditions.
“When you consider what fossil fuel pollution costs our health care system, renewables like wind and solar with battery storage are a bargain compared to the alternatives.”
Thanks for your consideration and your reporting on this issue.