{"id":621110,"date":"2026-04-22T13:35:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T13:35:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/621110\/"},"modified":"2026-04-22T13:35:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T13:35:17","slug":"vancouver-victoria-worst-places-in-canada-for-tree-pollen-allergies-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/621110\/","title":{"rendered":"Vancouver, Victoria worst places in Canada for tree pollen allergies: report"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Text<\/p>\n

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Estimated 4 minutes<\/p>\n

The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.<\/p>\n

Vancouver and Victoria are the worst places to live in Canada for those with tree pollen\u00a0allergies, according to a new report.<\/p>\n

The report from Aerobiology Research Laboratories shows the two B.C. cities are home to some of the most allergenic trees in the country, like birch and maple, and have a longer pollen season.<\/p>\n

The Ontario-based lab, which monitors airborne pollen with a network of 30 stations across the country, says conditions in the region create what it calls a “perfect storm” for allergy sufferers.<\/p>\n

“[The two cities] are so close to the coast and you get very mild temperature,” said laboratory director Daniel Coates. “Pollen loves warm weather.”<\/p>\n

He says allergy season in Vancouver and Victoria has already been intense this year and is expected to worsen in the coming weeks.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

“You guys had a lot of warmer weather this season with the mild temperatures and hence a lot more release of pollen,” Coates added.<\/p>\n

According to the lab, the West Coast has been facing elevated pollen levels since January, much earlier than the rest of the country, which typically doesn’t see allergy troubles start until mid-to-late March.\u00a0<\/p>\n

WATCH | Allergies to worsen:\"\"<\/p>\n

Your allergies are about to get worse<\/p>\n

With record pollen counts across North America, seasonal allergies are hitting harder than ever. Johanna Wagstaffe explains how climate change is turbo charging allergy seasons and what you can do about it. <\/p>\n

Pollen is a fine powdery substance that typically comes from trees in the spring, grasses and weeds in the summer and fall.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Coates says earlier in the season, much of the pollen came from cedar, elm and alder, which can be highly allergenic. But more potent allergens are arriving.<\/p>\n

“What’s happening now is we’re seeing birch, which is very, very allergenic, and oak coming into the air and colliding with pollen types that are still around, like cedar,” Coates said. <\/p>\n

Dr. Davidicus Wong, a family physician in Burnaby, says he is already seeing the impact in his clinic.<\/p>\n

“We are seeing patients coming in \u2026 because of the typical hay fever symptoms like runny nose, watery discharge, itchy, puffy eyes,” he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wong says those symptoms could intensify as birch and oak pollen levels rise.<\/p>\n

Staying prepared<\/p>\n

For people with allergies, the effects can range from irritating to serious, according to Wong.<\/p>\n

The family doctor says some patients with asthma may experience worsening symptoms, including wheezing and shortness of breath.<\/p>\n

“The symptoms could be very disruptive and affect people’s quality of life,” he said. “If someone’s getting an unremitting cough, shortness of breath when they’re doing their usual activities … not getting release from their usual inhalers, then that’s an indication to get urgent care.”<\/p>\n

WATCH | Why we’re seeing earlier allergy seasons:\"\"<\/p>\n

Yes, seasonal allergies are arriving earlier<\/p>\n

Allergy causing pollen has been arriving earlier in many parts of Canada in recent years. Researchers say climate change is having an effect on allergy seasons, making them weeks longer and contributing to higher concentrations of pollen in the air.<\/p>\n

If you are going to take medication to treat allergy symptoms, Wong recommends staying away from Benadryl. \u00a0<\/p>\n

“That can cause drowsiness and can affect kids’ performance at school and affect safety for grown-ups \u2026 things that require their full alertness,” he said, adding allergy sufferers can use non-drowsy antihistamines such as Claritin.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He also suggests simple over-the-counter measures like using saline rinses to help clear the sinuses.<\/p>\n

Coates recommends avoiding outdoor exercise during peak pollen times, keeping windows closed and not drying clothes outside when pollen counts are high.<\/p>\n

“If you don\u2019t want to move to the Maritimes \u2026 just change your habits so that you can minimize the effects.”<\/p>\n

Cities like Charlottetown, Saint John and Moncton rank among the least challenging places in the country for people with tree pollen allergies.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Climate change prolonging allergy season<\/p>\n

Coates says his lab’s data shows overall pollen levels across Canada have increased over the past 30 years, with a more prolonged pollen season due to climate change. \u00a0<\/p>\n

He says warmer temperatures contribute to earlier seasonal onset, longer growing seasons, and increased pollen production.<\/p>\n

WATCH | Climate change causing intense allergy seasons:\"\"<\/p>\n

Climate change causing allergies to start earlier, last longer<\/p>\n

We’re only a week into spring but already two months into allergy season. Experts are saying climate change is the reason for earlier and longer allergy seasons here in B.C. As CBC\u2019s Leanne Yu reports, those affected are being told to prepare for the years to come.<\/p>\n

Wong says that trend is noticeable locally.<\/p>\n

“We’re seeing much longer spring and summer weather than we’ve seen in previous decades,” he said. “The trees are being tricked into having a longer season, sprouting their blossoms and pollinating the air for the allergy sufferers.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Listen to this article Estimated 4 minutes The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":621111,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194298],"tags":[49,48,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-621110","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-vancouver","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-vancouver"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/621110","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=621110"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/621110\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/621111"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=621110"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=621110"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=621110"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}