Climate change is affecting how Canadians plan to buy homes, report says – National [Video]

As Canada is braces for another record wildfire season, the climate crisis is bleeding into another major challenge facing Canadians — housing.

A new BMO report released Monday found climate-related factors such as wildfires, floods, heatwaves, and storms will affect where 39 per cent of Canadians choose to live in the next five years. The percentage is higher among younger Canadians.

It jumps to 49 per cent for millennials (those born between 1981 to 1996) and 54 per cent for gen Z Canadians (those born between 1997 to 2012), the report said.

Alex Cool-Fergus, national policy manager at Climate Action Network Canada, said the data is not surprising considering that recent events have brought the climate crisis home for many Canadians.

“The impact of, for example, a flood in your basement can cost you dozens of thousands of dollars, for one event. I think it’s normal and I think it’s …