About 20 years ago, Roland Montpellier, who had recently retired, became a grandfather. He was also spending his time reading up on climate change. This sparked a realization. “How could we have let this happen?” he asked himself.
“I thought, ‘Geez, I really have to be involved and see … if I can help make the world a better place for my grandchildren,'” Montpellier said. He is now part of Seniors for Climate, an environmental advocacy organization.
While climate change activism is often associated with younger people, Seniors for Climate Action Now! (SCAN!) Ottawa and Seniors for Climate are among the groups making their voices heard on the environment.
Both participated in a recent march for social causes, including climate action. Among this crowd of all ages, seniors were waving signs such as, “Fossil Fools — Ruining Our Children’s Future” and “There is NO Planet B.”
The group wants climate action for young people. “We want our future generations to basically inherit what we enjoyed,” Montpellier said.
Seniors for Climate consists of six advocacy organizations across Canada, including SCAN! These groups want the Canadian government to invest in renewable energy and end fossil fuel consumption, according to their websites.
We let this happen and now it’s our duty to and our responsibility to help.
— Roland Montpellier, Seniors for Climate
The summer of 2025 was the 11th hottest on record in Canada, with southern Ontario experiencing six heat waves. David Phillips, a climatologist at Environment Canada, told CBC the extreme heat that Canada dealt with this summer could be the average by 2050.
According to an emissions estimate from the Canadian Climate Institute, Canada will not reach its 2030 target to shrink greenhouse gas emissions, meaning these hot summers are most likely here to stay. This puts pressure on the success of the federal government’s new climate competitiveness strategy, expected to be released later this fall.
“You cannot un-know what you know,” Montpellier said. “I know that unless we make some drastic changes in our behaviours and our lifestyles, that [climate change will] keep getting worse.”
Environmental hazards affect the health of seniors disproportionately. Aging reduces the body’s ability to manage environmental risks, such as air pollution and extreme heat leaving seniors more vulnerable as the effects of climate change ramp up.
Dr. Elisabeth Gilmore, a climate adaptation specialist, said heat is the main concern for seniors.
Gilmore said that rising body temperatures can easily sneak up on seniors who don’t realize they need to cool down until it’s too late. This can become a greater risk if they live alone, don’t have family nearby or have health issues that hinder their ability to leave the house, she said.
Gilmore said social programs are needed to check in on isolated seniors during heat waves.
“Most of this is avoidable … by having better social programs. It’s avoidable by warning and telling seniors about the risks that they face.”
As Canada faces fiercer and more frequent heat waves, spikes in heat-related deaths are almost certain. In June, a heat wave in Europe killed about 2,300 people, with more than 85 per cent of the victims more than age 65. Scientists said that more than half the deaths could be blamed on climate change.
Ottawa Centre MPP Catherine McKenney plans to introduce a motion in the fall that requires landlords to ensure units do not exceed 26 degrees. “People die from excessive heat,” McKenney told the Ottawa Lookout. “It is especially dangerous for seniors, for people with disabilities and for young children.”
SCAN! Ottawa organizer Letitia Charbonneau said members are deeply concerned about the future for their children and grandchildren.
Younger generations will experience more extreme climate events, such as heatwaves, wildfires and droughts, according to an article in the magazine Nature.
“I have little kids in my life too, thanks to friends, and I look at them and think … what is the world gonna be like when she turns 30?” Charbonneau said. “I’m glad I’m the age I am. I don’t envy young people.”
SCAN! Ottawa member Joan Kuyek said that for her, there is no other choice but to protest for climate action.
“If you don’t keep showing up and you start to [feel] despair, then the fossil fuel companies and the other corporations that are benefiting from all this misery … are winning,” she said. “They count on our despair. They count on us not showing up.”
Its a bit funny how this “fight for climate action” is so selective; as one of many examples , Federal Government same as Ontario Provincial have decided without looking at the impact of climate to force people to start driving cars for hours as to go back to office building so that that can use from the office virtual calls .. now make this sense