A new study, led by Dr. Dan Crouse, a research associate at the University of New Brunswick, along with a team of researchers from across Canada, has been published in the latest issue of Environmental Health Perspectives. Building on previous research, Dr. Crouse and his team previously found that exposure to urban greenspaces in Canadian cities could lower mortality rates by 8 to 12 percent. His latest study explores whether proximity to large natural water features—often called “blue space”—may also be linked to reduced mortality rates.

“We found much stronger associations than expected,” says Dr. Crouse. “We did not anticipate the effects to be as significant as those from greenspace in our earlier study—let alone even greater.” The research revealed that living within 250 meters of water was associated with a 12 to 17 percent reduction in mortality risk from several common causes of death compared to living farther away. The most pronounced protective effects were seen in deaths related to stroke and respiratory conditions, with stronger associations observed among women and older adults.

The study followed 1.3 million Canadians in 30 cities over an 11-year period, analyzing various personal factors such as age, income, education, and family status. Researchers also considered neighborhood characteristics, including air pollution levels and average household incomes.

Dr. Crouse acknowledges a key limitation of the study: the 250-meter buffer may include water features that are not necessarily visible or accessible from the subject’s residence. “We chose this distance because it represents the immediate surroundings where people are likely to have regular exposure to water,” he says. “We also examined the effects of living within one kilometer of blue space, but beyond 250 meters, the benefits became marginal.”

These findings add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that urban natural environments offer significant health benefits, likely due to a mix of passive and active interactions. “You don’t necessarily have to be in the water to experience these benefits,” Dr. Crouse notes. “Simply having a view of water or hearing the sound of waves may help reduce stress or improve sleep—both of which contribute to better cardiovascular health.”