Research summary
Indigenous communities living near industrial sites often suffer adverse impacts to their health and welfare, and are prevented from living sustainably on the land. Dr. Diana Lewis, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Environmental Health Governance, is developing an Indigenous environmental health risk assessment approach that reflects how communities are impacted by resource extraction and/or potential exposures to contaminants.
Using a collaborative and transformative “One Health” approach, Lewis and her research team will work with Pictou Landing First Nation to establish the data landscape in Indigenous environmental health assessment and share stories of Indigenous environmental health governance. They also aim to build a cadre of practitioners in Indigenous environmental health governance and implement Indigenous environmental health governance in policy. Ultimately, their aim is to support the assertion of Indigenous sovereignty over the health of Indigenous community members, their lands and their environments.