BILL NO. 218

(as introduced)

1st Session, 64th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
1 Charles III, 2022

 

Private Member's Bill

 

Climate Resiliency in Health Care Act

 

Susan Leblanc
Dartmouth North

First Reading: October 20, 2022

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

 

An Act to Ensure Climate Resiliency
in Health Care

WHEREAS climate change has direct impacts on human health as well as the capacity of the health-care system to manage and protect human health;

AND WHEREAS the health-care system is vulnerable to extreme heat, extreme weather events, power failures and other climate-related occurrences;

AND WHEREAS as the impacts of climate change continue to unfold, there is a need to prepare the health-care system by developing and updating system-wide emergency plans and infrastructure, triage and treatment protocols, ensuring staff and first responders are equipped and prepared and assessing and identifying vulnerable populations;

THEREFORE be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

1 This Act may be cited as the Climate Resiliency in Health Care Act.

2 In this Act,

(a) "Minister" means the Minister of Health and Wellness; (b) "Plan" means the Plan under Section 3.

3 (1) On or before April 1, 2023, the Minister shall prepare a plan to improve the climate resiliency of the health-care system.

(2) The Plan must include actions under the following areas:

(a) leadership and governance;

(b) workforce training and availability;

(c) vulnerability, capacity and adaptation;

(d) integrated risk-monitoring and early warning;

(e) health and climate research;

(f) climate-resilient and sustainable technologies and infrastructure;

(g) management of environmental determinants of health; and

(h) climate and health financing.

4 Within 15 days after the Plan is completed the Minister shall table it in the House of Assembly if the Assembly is then sitting or, where the Assembly is not then sitting, file it with the Clerk of the Assembly.

5 Commencing in 2024, the Minister shall, on or before April 1st of each year, make public an annual report with respect to the progress made implementing the actions in the Plan.

 

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