A comprehensive assessment of the cost of climate change for the Canadian population

The Canadian Climate Institute has published the latest in a series of studies on the costs of climate change, demonstrating that the financial health and prosperity of Canadians are at risk. It is aimed at decision-makers, urging them to take action.

The Institute therefore called on Voilà: to produce, among other things, an electronic presentation with static and animated visualizations.

A glimpse into the presentation’s visual identity

Inspired by the visual identity of the same series, this latest report uses the symbolism of the house in the form of a collage to talk about households: climate change will hit them hard, and they will be the ones to pay the highest price.

The deliberately dark colors echo the urgency of the climate crisis. Inside, bright orange communicates the need to take action.

The dramatic effect is reinforced by the presence of ominous clouds in the background.

A mockup of the paper version of the report, set against a grey background. The cover page of the report features the title, "Damage control", as well as the featured image of the analysis, represented by a house in the form of a fragmented collage, symbolizing households.

The first slide of the presentation. Against a dark green background, with threatening clouds in the background, we see the title of the study "Damage control", as well as the same house image that appears on the cover of the report.

This image, taken from the presentation, shows the summary of the study. On the left, against a grey background, a text talks about the findings, while on the right, we contrast this with a phrase that calls for action. On a bright orange background, this part stands out against the pale gray background of the slide.

The results of the study with a short text summarizing the findings. It is accompanied by a fragmented image and is positioned against a dark green slide.

One of the presentation slides on a bright orange background, in which a short text informs us of the study's findings and recommendations.

Animation as a storytelling tool

Animations play a major role in the project’s narrative, and even influenced the choice of slide design. Here are some of the principles we developed.

The illustrated narration:
The shape of an iceberg appears first, followed by the text explaining the metaphor.

The unveiling:
The graphic gradually emerges, and the message comes to life in a playful, striking way, catching the eye throughout the animation as we wait to discover the final results.

The Immersive “step-by-step”:
Key messages appear and disappear as each piece of information is revealed. Nonetheless, a sense of progression is retained, thanks to the way shapes stay visible even as they appear and fade.

The classic “step-by-step”:
In this last example, the graphic appears step by step, to help understand a more complex diagram in its entirety.

The summary slide

The animation ends with a slide summarizing all the data available in the section. It visually anchors the discussion that follows the presentation, better than a simple “Thank you” on the screen, by recalling the main points.

Consistent and memorable graphics

The message of this study is characterized by nuance and urgency. Thus, we have distinguished the scenarios using colors. Bright orange demonstrates the consequences of inaction in a world where emissions remain high, while green is used for the more optimistic scenarios, where emissions are reduced.

The dot plot shows the nuances, emphasizing each point in time rather than the evolution over time. The maximum and minimum of each scenario are shown in the background of the median. What’s more, this versatile format translates easily from a large chart to multiple small charts, as well as to electronic presentation.

The infographics in the presentation are adapted from the report. Here, the visual shows household purchasing power under attack from all sides. The impact is reflected in the fragmentation that is shattering the structure of the house, the study’s flagship symbol.