Grant: College & Community Social Innovation Fund

In May 2017, unprecedented floods inundated southern Quebec, including the Listuguj Mi’gmaq community. The floods severely impacted the community; the floodwaters severely damaged dozens of houses, forcing occupants to evacuate and relocate elsewhere. In 2019, floods broke the high-water level records and underscored challenges faced in 2017; much of the population displaced by the first flood was still living in temporary trailers and awaiting permanent housing. The proposed project argues that addressing these challenges requires a community-based disaster management mechanism integrating Indigenous cultural values, traditional knowledge, and rights. The proposed research will build on existing participatory methods and develop new models that recognize and respect Indigenous institutions and organizations. For this purpose, the proposed project uses applied participatory research methods that respect Indigenous ways of knowing and rely on community-led research methods. Expected outcomes are an increase in the community’s capacities for disaster risk mitigation with the integration of Indigenous knowledge. Moreover, the proposed project will build connections between modern spatial analysis technologies and the Indigenous perspective by incorporating local knowledge of flood zones and other undocumented areas at risk of flooding. The combined knowledge will help the community determine areas appropriate for relocation and community expansion. Drawing on established approaches in landscape planning, researchers will identify flood-safe zones and propose landscape designs to mitigate the impacts of floods. The aim is to work with the community at each stage of the project to ensure an inclusive process. The proposed project aims to prevent the adverse impacts of short- and long-term relocations by arming the community with structural risk mitigation measures (floodproofing methods) inclusive of Indigenous perspectives. The goal is to develop a culturally sensitive and community-appropriate approach to disaster risk reduction.