Amid Canada's worst wildfire season yet, climate activists in Thunder Bay rally for change

As Canada's worst forest fire season ever recorded rages on, climate activists in Thunder Bay, Ont. are calling for more government action to address the smoky skies across northwestern Ontario.

About 40 people rallied outside Thunder Bay–Superior North MP Patty Hajdu's office on Wednesday, wielding signs calling out government officials and major oil companies for the fires burning across Canada – on a day when the city's air quality health index was considered at moderate risk and millions of Canadians were under some sort of health alert due to the smoke.

The event, organized by Citizens United for a Sustainable Planet alongside members of Climate Justice Thunder Bay, was part of a nationwide action called "Our Home is Burning" held in more than 30 other locations across Canada.

There were 41 active fires in northwestern Ontario Wednesday afternoon, nine of which were not under control. The region has been under a restricted fire zone since June 1.

"This situation is just going to continue getting worse if we don't address it," said Cynthia Nault of Climate Justice Thunder Bay. "Here in Thunder Bay, in the past seven days, we've had at least three days where the air quality was so poor that you couldn't really spend very much time outside."

She asked Hajdu to bring activists' concerns to the House of Commons to find quicker ways to address the climate emergency, especially for those most affected by this summer's wildfires.

"These wildfires are predominantly affecting First Nations communities; they tend to take the brunt of this. They're constantly being evacuated at the very last minute," Nault said. "We need to do better for them and for everyone." 

A call to action for Ottawa 

Paul Berger of Citizens United for a Sustainable Planet addressed Wednesday's crowd and outlined asks for the federal government, including stopping fossil fuel subsidies, ceasing construction on the Trans Mountain Expansion Pipeline, providing operating funds for public transit and delivering electoral reform.

"They're doing some good things, but too slowly and too late," Berger said. "We need them to speed up and do them right now."

After Berger's speech, Hajdu came out to talk to him and other participants.

She agreed with Berger's sentiment: "we could do more, more quickly."

Hajdu acknowledged the disproportionate impact that wildfires and other climate disasters have on people living in poverty and on First Nations communities. She said the government must tackle the climate crisis on two key fronts: transitioning to cleaner energy sources, and protecting those most vulnerable to the impact of the climate crisis. 

"That's all hands on deck," Hajdu said. "That's not just the federal government, that's municipalities, that's provinces and territories, and it's individuals themselves working together to help each other."

She also spoke of the federal government's National Adaptation Strategy, signed by all provinces and territories and presented on Tuesday. The $2-billion plan outlines how to help communities adapt to challenges such wildfires, extreme heat and flooding. 

Empowerment through education

Devon Lee, Lakehead University's sustainability co-ordinator, also attended Wednesday's rally. She said students have become increasingly concerned about climate change and have expressed their grief about the climate in creative ways, from writing songs and poems to making paintings.

"This is already the worst wildfire season on record. It's not even July yet," said Lee. "I think that here in northern Ontario actually, the air quality and the smoke is actually one of the first real indicators for many people that climate change impacts are upon us."

She encourages young people to consider joining local activist groups, contacting government officials, and sharing information with others.

For Nault, the impact of climate change-related anxiety is real, but it doesn't have to hold people back from doing something about it. 

"My message for people is that hope and grief can coexist and I truly believe there are so many species that we can save, including ourselves, if we take action now," Nault said.

• Check the CBC News Climate Dashboard for information on air quality and live updates on active fires across the country. You can also set your location to find out how today's temperatures compare to historical trends.

Hajdu praised the climate activists' efforts as they stood outside her office.

"When people hold these rallies and they come to political offices and they sign petitions and they educate their peers, that actually helps move that political momentum that we need at the grassroots," Hajdu said.