Exposure to wildfire smoke has an adverse effect on the health of Canadians.  In this project, we evaluate the extent to which older adults with pre-existing health conditions are at an increased risk of hospitalization due to wildfire smoke exposure compared to those with no health conditions. The study uses administrative health data from the provinces of British Columbia and Ontario to estimate these risks in older adults. This is a 5-year CIHR-funded project that began in October 2025.

Study Team includes:

Sarah Henderson, B.C. Centers for Disease Control

Mark Goldberg, McGill University

Eric Lavigne, Health Canada

Funding provided by CIHR

Our research group has a number of ongoing projects evaluating the risk of adverse health effects among radiation exposed workers, and among Canadian who live near nuclear power plants. Health outcomes examined have included: ocular disorders (cataract and glaucoma), neurodegenerative disease (dementia and Parkinson’s disease), cancer and cardiovascular disease.  Occupational studies have largely centred around those who worked at Canadian Nuclear Power Plants, and the study population has been drawn from Health Canada’s National Dose Registry.  Future plans include an assessment of health risks in medical workers. Funding for these projects has been provided by Conexus Nuclear and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Partners:

Health Canada

Queen’s University

Dalhousie University

Funding provided by CIHR and Conexus Nuclear Inc.

Our lab recently received a 5 year CIHR grant (starting in October, 2025) to support the development of census-based health cohorts in Colombia, using record linkage methodology. In collaboration with Statistics Canada and the National Administrative Department of Statistics in Colombia (DANE), health cohorts suitable for epidemiological analyses will be created. The creation of these individual-level Colombian cohorts will provide opportunities to better understand social and environmental determinants of health in that nation. Initial studies that are planned will investigate social disparities in infant mortality and health effects from exposure to ambient pollution, including cancer and cardiorespiratory disease mortality.  Canadian co-investigators on this project include academics at Dalhousie University, Queen’s University, McGill University, and Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS). In Colombia, the team includes researchers at 6 different Colombian Universities. It is anticipated that this project will provide numerous training opportunities for students in epidemiology and data sciences in both Canada and Colombia.

Funding provided by CIHR

We are currently undertaking two systematic reviews and meta-analyses.  The first review is synthesizing the evidence on occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica and lung cancer, and this includes exposure-response modelling.  The second review is evaluating the evidence on occupational exposure to diesel engine exhaust and the risks of bladder and lung cancer. 

Both projects are funded by the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB).