Measuring the Costs of Pollution in Canada

Pollution has consequences for individuals, society at large and the economy. Damages lead to higher costs for many things, including: medical care, raw materials, food and taxes.

As such, pollution threatens not only Canadians' current well-being, but also the prospects for sustaining that well-being into the future. Canadians do not, however, have an adequate understanding of the cost of pollution. While many studies have attempted to assess the individual costs of specific pollutants, no single report covers them all. What is more, no common framework exists to effectively communicate the costs of pollution to experts and non-experts alike.

With financial support from the Ivey Foundation, the International Institute for Sustainable Development reviewed and synthesized existing studies on the costs of pollution in an effort to improve the data available to Canadians. Our findings represent the most comprehensive assessment of pollution and its costs undertaken in Canada. This report shows that pollution costs Canadian families, businesses and governments a startling amount every year.