Grant: Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

This research respectfully involves and engages Indigenous communities. The project examines how urban trails-e.g., multiuse paths and protected bike lanes-are planned and implemented in Canadian cities, and their impact on Indigenous health and mobility. Historically, as Canadian cities expanded, Indigenous peoples were forcibly displaced from their lands through colonial policies designed to prioritize settler society. These policies intentionally marginalized Indigenous communities and are the root of profound and lasting health inequities, including higher rates of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and reduced access to safe transportation options and traditional lands. Cities are expanding urban trails for climate resilience, sustainability, and health benefits, yet these developments often overlook the needs of urban Indigenous Peoples. The research was developed in collaboration with Indigenous Elders, scholars, and community organizations to investigate the decision-making processes behind urban trail implementation. Using a Two-Eyed Seeing approach that integrates Indigenous and Western perspectives, the project aims to identify the barriers and facilitators that impact Indigenous access and use of urban trails. The research prioritizes Indigenous perspectives to create culturally relevant recommendations for urban trail development for Indigenous communities. The project also contributes to the field of implementation science by integrating Indigenous knowledges into the systematic analysis of urban development. The findings from this research will guide urban planners and municipal leaders in planning and implementing urban infrastructures that enhance the well-being of Indigenous communities and advance action on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action, and the Calls for Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.