How Climate Change is Transforming Livelihoods Across Canada: A Deep Dive into Its Impact

For years, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has warned us: climate change is reshaping the world of work. As wildfires and extreme weather damage our environment, many jobs are at risk. It isn’t just about the weather; it’s about how the changing environment affects livelihoods and identities.

In a research project called Work-Life in Canada, my team and I explored these connections through interviews and photography. We gathered stories from over 100 people across seven provinces. In our conversations, we often found that shifts in the environment were woven into the fabric of people’s work lives.

Two sites stood out — Lac La Ronge in Saskatchewan and Grand Manan Island in New Brunswick. Here, people’s stories, paired with powerful images, reveal both the beauty and the challenges of their work-nature relationships.

Impact of Wildfires

Take the story of Cathy Clinton-Ratt and her daughter, Julia, from the Lac La Ronge Indian Band. They were connected to Robertson Trading, a hub for Indigenous art and culture for nearly 60 years. Unfortunately, in June 2025, this beloved store was destroyed by wildfire. The fire wiped out countless handcrafted items, telling us that work is more than just a paycheck — it’s about tradition and identity.

Scott Robertson, the former manager, described the loss: “Hundreds of pieces of Indigenous art… represent thousands of hours of handwork. They are irreplaceable.” This reflects how deeply work connects to community and culture, showing us that when climate change hits, it disrupts lives at their core.

Wildfires have always been part of the boreal forest, but their frequency has spiked recently. Indigenous communities, like those around La Ronge, are particularly affected, with evacuation notices becoming common in high-risk months.

Challenges from Warming Oceans

In New Brunswick, we met Jeff Foster, a weir fisherman on Grand Manan Island. Weir fishing is a centuries-old tradition, where fish are guided into nets. It has been challenging over the years. While he was able to pass this tradition down to his sons, by 2023, they were catching fewer fish due to warming oceans and overfishing from larger operations.

Jeff’s sons began to look for seasonal work elsewhere, diversifying into the lobster industry. This change reflects a broader trend: as waters warm, fish are moving north, shifting the local fishing landscape. Jeff’s family’s decision to dismantle their weir signifies more than just a loss of a job; it marks the end of a way of life.

The Bigger Picture

Recent studies, like those by the ILO, highlight that a stable environment is vital for “good” work. Yet, definitions of “good” often focus on measurable aspects like pay and hours. Our research indicates that people’s connections to work are more profound — they depend on emotional ties and community welfare tied to their environments.

As we face an uncertain future, it’s crucial for policies to harmonize climate action with employment plans. The ILO asserts that work is the “fundamental interface between society and nature.” This perspective urges us to ensure that all forms of work adapt to support a sustainable future.

In today’s world, when we think about work and climate, we’re not just talking about jobs. We’re talking about heritage, identity, and the future we want to build together. We must embrace stories from those affected, for they hold the key to understanding how climate change impacts lives and work.

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