Those two projects are sponsored by the Canadian Institute of Child Health and the Canadian Public Health Association. I look forward to hearing more from their representatives on what they plan to accomplish through these two projects. Our scientists are telling us that climate change can directly and indirectly affect the health and well-being of all Canadians. Direct effects might include increases in respiratory deaths and illnesses due to anticipated increases in heat waves. Indirect effects could include the potential transmission of infectious diseases such as malaria and yellow fever as insects carrying these diseases migrate northward.
Improved health is one of the concrete benefits of taking action to mitigate climate change.
Moreover, by walking or cycling instead of driving, we reduce greenhouse gas emissions, benefit from more physical activity and eliminate stress in a healthy way. The other four projects from Earth Day Canada, the University of Waterloo, the Canadian Climate Action Network and the Women and Environmental Education and Development Foundation bring to 62, the number of Climate Change Action Fund projects supported by the Government of Canada in the last year. We support these projects because Canadians want to play a part in finding solutions and the CCAF allows them to learn what they can do and how they can make a difference. On behalf of the Government of Canada and my department, I would like to congratulate today's worthy recipients and I look forward to watching the progress of each of their projects.