A recent report from Sun Life highlights the growing impact of extreme weather and climate change on Canadians' physical and mental health, particularly among employees with chronic conditions. The study surveyed over 2,000 Canadian workers and found that more than three-quarters (77%) had experienced an extreme weather event in the past three years. Nearly two-thirds (59%) reported these events affected their physical health.
The report also indicates that more than half (54%) of respondents said severe weather impacted their mental health, citing anxiety, stress, and sleep difficulties as common issues. Employees living with one or more chronic health conditions were twice as likely to report both physical and mental health impacts related to climate events.
"Impacts on employee well-being can have major consequences for workplaces," said Marie-Chantal Côté, Senior Vice-President, Sun Life Health. "Employers play a crucial role in supporting their workforce by leveraging and bringing awareness to the resources in their group benefits plans. Empowering employees to proactively manage their health and use available supports is more important than ever in today's changing environment."
The findings show that chronic diseases are becoming harder to manage due to climate-related factors such as air pollution and extreme weather. Conditions like migraines, respiratory illnesses, allergies, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases are cited as being particularly affected. Employees with chronic conditions who experienced climate-related physical health impacts were almost twice as likely to take time off work or feel less productive.
The data reveals gender differences: 45% of women said managing their chronic condition became harder or more severe due to climate effects compared with 30% of men.
Mental health challenges are also increasing in Canadian workplaces; nearly 40% of long-term disability claims are attributed to mental health issues. The report notes that over a quarter (27%) of employees have experienced or are experiencing climate anxiety—a figure that rises to 47% among Gen Z workers. Additionally, one in five respondents reported fatigue or burnout linked to climate or severe weather.
Sun Life recommends employers educate staff about available support through group benefits plans. These include specialty programs for chronic disease care (not currently available in Quebec), virtual care services such as Lumino Virtual Care and Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and online pharmacy options for medication delivery.
Sun Life operates internationally across multiple markets including Canada, the United States, Asia-Pacific countries, Europe, and Bermuda. As of June 30, 2025, it managed $1.54 trillion in assets.
For further details on the relationship between climate change and workplace health outcomes in Canada, the full report is available at sunlife.com.