Grant: Team Grant: Environments and Health: Intersectoral Prev. Research - Resource dev

Health is influenced by resource development through interrelated socioeconomic, ecological, cultural, and political pathways, which demand upstream, intersectoral responses. These relationships are especially important in Canada, where the economy remains tightly coupled with the development of natural resources and where the rate and scale of social and environmental change occurring in resource-rich regions is fueling debate regarding health impacts, especially for rural, remote and Indigenous communities. Our project, titled "The ECHO Network (Environment, Community, Health Observatory): Strengthening intersectoral capacity to understand and respond to health impacts of resource development", aims to: (1) make evidence-based recommendations on the form and function of a cross-jurisdictional ECHO that will foster understanding of the complex dynamics of resource development and health, and; (2) trial and evaluate intersectoral strategies to address the cumulative determinants of health that interact over time and space, targeting actions and responses that cannot be achieved by the health sector alone. The ECHO Network team has several key features: (1) our research team is informed by experienced health, environmental and social science researchers; (2) the research program is also anchored in four regional cases (New Brunswick, Alberta, British Columbia and Northern BC). In each regional case, knowledge-users have identified decision-support needs or issues that demand a better integration of environment, community and health impacts. The ECHO will provide a platform of integrative tools and processes that connect people to a network of information, practices and people in order to develop a shared perspective and more effective responses to the cumulative impacts of resource development. The research will involve four components, each linked to specific objectives, mentorship and capacity building processes over five years.