We have provided for the survival of man against all enemies except his fellow man.
- Lyman Lloyd Bryson
What Canada can learn from the explosive 2023 wildfire season
Wildfires and Climate Change, (Sorry, the "New Normal") Are Creating Refugees in Their Own Country—and Canada’s Response is Shameful
Wildfires are no longer just a seasonal hazard—they are an existential crisis. While Canadians wring their hands about health risks, air quality, and lost property, there’s a silent, growing catastrophe unfolding: the forced displacement of thousands of people in their own country.
Let’s not mince words—Canada is failing its internally displaced persons (IDPs), particularly its poorest citizens and Indigenous communities, who bear the brunt of this disaster.
In 2023 alone, Canada accounted for 43 percent of all wildfire-related displacements globally. British Columbia and Alberta, in particular, became ground zero for an unprecedented crisis.
Yet, the response has been lackluster, characterized by temporary measures, political posturing, and underprepared provinces unable to handle the surge of evacuees.
The federal government talks a big game, but the glaring inadequacies—like the lack of accommodations for displaced Albertans fleeing to British Columbia—expose a troubling truth:
Canada is woefully unprepared to manage this crisis, let alone prevent it.
And let’s be clear: the burden of these wildfires is not borne equally. The poor and Indigenous communities are disproportionately affected, as always.
While wealthy Canadians retreat to their air-conditioned homes and evacuation plans, Indigenous peoples watch their traditional lands burn, their cultural heritage reduced to ashes. These communities are already marginalized, and wildfires strip away what little security they have left—land, shelter, livelihoods, and identity.
This is no accident. Canada’s colonial history laid the foundation for today’s inequities. Indigenous territories, already carved up by resource extraction, pipelines, and deforestation, are now at greater risk of wildfires fueled by climate change, the "NEW NORMAL", eh—a crisis they did not create but are forced to endure.
Worse, these same communities are excluded from the decision-making processes on wildfire mitigation and response. This is not just negligence; it is systemic oppression.
For the poor in urban and rural areas, the story is equally grim. Many cannot afford to rebuild their lives after losing everything. Insurance payouts, if they exist at all, are insufficient.
Emergency shelters are overcrowded and underfunded. And when the fires subside, they’re left to navigate a labyrinth of bureaucracy to access financial support and housing—if those options exist at all.
The government’s failure to provide long-term support ensures that displacement becomes permanent for many.
The comparisons to the global South are glaring. Just as climate-related disasters displace millions in developing countries—people least responsible for carbon emissions—Canada’s poorest citizens and Indigenous peoples are left to shoulder a disproportionate share of the suffering.
But unlike the global South, Canada is a wealthy, high-income nation. That this level of displacement and suffering happens here is nothing short of a national disgrace.
The solution is clear, but it requires political will—a resource seemingly scarcer than fire retardant in the middle of wildfire season.
Canada must develop a comprehensive national strategy to address internal displacement, one that prioritizes the most vulnerable. This means:
- Massive investments in temporary housing that doesn’t feel like an afterthought.
- Immediate financial aid for displaced persons, without bureaucratic red tape.
- Mental health and medical services for the trauma-stricken.
- Sustainable rebuilding programs designed to restore livelihoods and homes.
Most importantly, this plan must be co-developed with Indigenous communities, who have the knowledge and experience to lead efforts in sustainable forest management and emergency planning.
But let’s not kid ourselves: this won’t happen unless Canada confronts its systemic disregard for the marginalized and puts its money where its mouth is.
Canada loves to boast about its progressive values and leadership in fighting climate change, but the evidence tells a different story. While governments pledge billions for clean energy and carbon targets, they neglect the human toll of their inaction.
How many more lives must be upended before Canada treats internal displacement as the humanitarian crisis it is?
Wildfires don’t discriminate, but Canada’s response does. It’s time to demand better—for the displaced, for the Indigenous, for the poor.
Because if we don’t act now, the infernos consuming our forests will pale in comparison to the crisis consuming our society.
We Are Ready! Are You?
Sincerely,
Adaptation-Guide
