Yukon is the healthiest jurisdiction in Canada, scoring an 85/100, according to a study conducted by Lighthouse Dental Care. .Yukon has some of the lowest greenhouse gas emissions per square kilometre at 0.15 tonnes, according to the study. Lighthouse said the population has moderate stress, with 16.5% reporting it. .The percentages for chronic conditions such as diabetes, COPD, and high blood pressure are low. It has the lowest daily smoker percentage at 10.5%, but 20.7% are heavy drinkers. .Lighthouse said Nunavut came in second place (84.8/100). It added Nunavut has low emissions at 0.03 tonnes per square kilometre and a lower stress percentage at 15.4%. .New cancer cases are lower than other areas at 178.8 per 100,000 people. Smoking is a significant issue, with 46.8% of the population being daily smokers. .BC came in third place (75.5). BC has moderate emissions per square kilometre at 1.17 tonnes. .It has one of the lowest obesity rates at 22.9%. However, it has a high cancer rate at 513 cases per 100,000 people. .Consultant Specialists of BC wrote an open letter to BC Health Minister Adrian Dix in 2022 about one million patients waiting for specialty care. .READ MORE: BC healthcare specialists demand meeting with health minister over wait times.“We see the decline in Specialist care first hand every day and we are exhausted and demoralized; it is soul-destroying to be unable to provide the Specialty care that BC patients need and deserve,” said the Consultant Specialists of BC. .“We request a meeting with you urgently, and that's not a word we use lightly.” .Lighthouse went on to say Alberta finished in fourth place (71.5). When it comes to Alberta, it said it has a high emissions rate at 14.15 tonnes per square kilometre. .One-fifth of the population perceives themselves as stressed, and 29.5% are obese. The cancer rate is 425.4 per 100,000 people. .Alberta is on track to meet and exceed its methane emissions reduction goal, according to the Alberta government’s second annual progress report published in April. .READ MORE: Alberta leads in reducing methane emissions.Methane emissions from the Alberta government’s operations decreased by about 44% between 2014 and 2021..Based on the estimates, it said it will meet and surpass its target to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 45% from 2014 levels by 2025..Lighthouse added Ontario came in fifth place (67.4). It said Ontario’s emissions are 2.7 tonnes per square kilometre. .One-fifth of the population said they are stressed out, and it has an obesity rate of 28.1%. It has a high rate of new cancer cases at 496.3 per 100,000. .Subsequent to Ontario was Manitoba (66). This was followed by Quebec (65.4), Saskatchewan (64.8), and Northwest Territories (63.5). .Lighthouse concluded by saying Nova Scotia is Canada’s unhealthiest province (40). It said Nova Scotia’s emissions rate is 4.4 tonnes per square kilometre. .Its obesity rate is 34.7%, and it has the highest cancer rate at 676.7 per 100,000 people. It has the highest percentages of diabetes and COPD. .The study gave each region a score out of 100 with 13 criteria, which were aggregated and weighted to produce a final comprehensive health score. This data is taken from the Canadian government’s website from the latest year.
