Grant: Project Grant

Over the past 10 years our research team has worked in partnership with over 30 British Columbia (BC) First Nations to conduct over a dozen community health impact assessments (HIAs) associated with the extractive sector and major disasters (e.g., industrial incidents, climate change, increased extreme weather, floods and fires.) Our most recent HIA projects have addressed the following: (1) the Mount Polley Mine tailings dam failure; (2) multiple development projects in the Prince Rupert region; and (3) the 100,000 L diesel spill from the sinking of the Nathan E. Stewart Tug vessel near Bella Bella, BC. Findings from each HIA highlight how current health surveillance approaches are missing critical information and vary considerably across Nations. For instance, in some cases, health data associated with critical environmental health risks are non-existent and in others, digital health data is available, but limited mainly to health care expenditures. In all cases, data related to the unique determinants of First Nation health are not captured in consistent and readily accessible manner. As a result, the monitoring of First Nation health at the Nation level is currently impossible, and therefore, major health impacts and risks stemming from development projects and/or disasters are immeasurable. Urgent action is needed given the number of current development projects proposed and major weather events affecting First Nations. It is the objective of this investigation to address this critical health data gap for BC First Nations by informing the development and implementation of a culturally appropriate health surveillance system. This is a basic requirement for short and long term preventative and mitigation strategies need to protect and improve health outcomes for First Nations in BC.