By Dr. Sean Kidd, co-director of the Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, CAMH &
Swelen Andari, Director Strategy, Climate Resilience & Youth Mental Health, CAMH
The inaugural Toronto Climate Week kicks off this week, and the city promises to be abuzz with the spirit of inspired innovation, solution-oriented dialogue, and learning opportunities to pique the interest of climate-curious and concerned people of all stripes. But amid the focus on infrastructure, emissions and energy systems, a critical piece of the climate crisis is often overlooked: our mental health.
At the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), we’re putting the issue on the table. Climate change isn’t only about wildfires, floods and record-breaking heat. It’s also about how these realities shape our minds, emotions and futures. CAMH clinicians and researchers are at the forefront of studying this intersection of climate change and mental health, an urgent and emerging field of research and practice.
Extreme Heat on Schizophrenia and Brain Development
Take extreme heat. You may be surprised to learn that CAMH researchers have shown that people with schizophrenia face the greatest risks of death and poor outcomes during extreme heat events, compared with any other group facing physical or mental health conditions. The reasons are complex, including symptoms of illness, social isolation, and poor housing conditions.
A devastating example is the 2021 heat dome, which resulted in hundreds of deaths and the hottest temperatures ever recorded on the west coast of North America. CAMH researchers have also found that heat exposure is linked to brain development, including maternal health and pre-term birth risk, through to impacts on healthy development for children exposed to hot schools and poor sleep in unairconditioned homes.
The Psychological Toll of Climate Change
Climate change impacts are not limited to those directly or indirectly exposed to climate events. Living with the knowledge of climate threats and the uncertainties of a changing climate can take a psychological toll on people, especially on youth.
Results from the 2023 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey indicated that 18% of students were extremely or very worried about climate change, whereas 45% reported feeling depressed about the future because of climate change.
Building our collective knowledge about climate change risks to mental health has, if anything, strengthened our resolve to face and address this problem.
Taking Action
At CAMH, we are collaborating with patients, families, clinicians, and policymakers, using science to develop and share robust, evidence-based tools for those most affected—and for those in a position to drive meaningful change.
For example, we recently released guidance for patients and families on how to protect themselves and others during extreme heat events.
Through our “Youth Taking Action on Climate Change and Active Hope” initiative, we are centering youth well-being and leadership in a partnership with young people experiencing climate-related distress.
Together, we are co-designing and scaling programs across health and social systems that build coping skills for managing difficult emotions related to climate change—such as grief and anxiety—while also promoting agency, climate action, and deeper connections to land, community, and self.
Our hope is that—through science, collaboration, and urgent action—we can enhance our systems and drive solutions that protect the mental health and overall well-being of those most vulnerable to climate change as the crisis unfolds.
This is a defining decade and there is a lot we can collectively do across sectors to advance mental health, promote climate action, and reduce health inequities.
As we come together during the inaugural Toronto Climate Week, let’s build on the evidence, innovation, and momentum we are collectively generating—to inspire bold action now.
About Toronto Climate Week
Toronto Climate Week (TOCW) is a city-wide initiative backed by the City of Toronto, launching with a three-day inaugural event on Oct 1-3rd 2025, and expanding to a week-long annual conference starting June 2026. Designed as a free, decentralized conference where organizers are invited to host events and create a platform for climate, tech, creativity, and collaboration, TOCW will unite startups, private-sector leaders, researchers, policymakers, creators, and grassroots organizations. The goal is to showcase Canadian climate leadership, retain and attract investments and talent, build economic resilience, and accelerate real-world solutions. For more details visit the website at tocw.ca or the LinkedIn page.
About the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital and a world leading research centre in this field. CAMH combines clinical care, research, education, policy development and health promotion to help transform the lives of people affected by mental illness and addiction. CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre. For more information, please visit camh.ca or follow @CAMHnews on Bluesky and LinkedIn.
