By: Niveja Assalaarachchi, News Writer
2025 was one of the most destructive years on record for natural disasters. Though much of the damage to infrastructure and human lives was seen in the Global South, much of the economic cost was seen in Global North countries like Canada. The Peak interviewed Tim Takaro, a professor emeritus at SFU’s faculty of health sciences, to learn more about how the growing destruction of natural disasters specifically applies locally.
In 2025, BC faced disasters like the flooding of the Fraser Valley and forest fires. Takaro explained that these disasters as a whole had afflicted large segments of the population, especially marginalized communities. For one, he pointed to those with chronic illnesses, as chronic conditions can increase the chances of sickness and death during disasters. This can be due to potential disruptions in essential services, weakened immune systems, and increased mental health strain.
He also pointed out that natural disasters in BC have had a disproportionate effect on Indigenous Peoples, as they face the colonial legacy of being driven off their traditional lands towards more vulnerable areas for natural disasters. He argued that this set the stage for the present, where 80% of all Indigenous communities live in areas prone to disasters like wildfires, and about 42% of all disaster evacuees in Canada are Indigenous Peoples, despite only making up 5% of the population.
For these particular reasons, Takaro emphasized the need for the provincial government to adapt to the evolving threat of climate-induced disasters and tackle their root cause — fossil fuel emissions.
“I liken it to having your bathtub overflowing, and you go and look for a mop and some towels, and you don’t turn off the tap. That’s the way we’re approaching this problem — we’re not addressing the source.”
— Tim Takaro, professor emeritus at SFU’s faculty of health sciences
He argued that, due to the role of the gas industry, the government has a conflict of interest in tackling the role of carbon emissions in climate change for economic reasons. As well, The Vancouver Sun reported in September 2025 that, due to BC’s financial situation, it had no resources for a flood plan, highlighting concerns over the region’s readiness for future disasters.
Overall, Takaro emphasized the need for long-term and holistic planning to tackle the issues of climate-induced weather patterns in the province: “We tend to, in our thinking, follow the political cycle, which is thinking four years ahead; we can’t do that.”
