Canada will invest $12 million over the next decade to study potential contaminants from oilsands operations affecting Indigenous communities in northern Alberta.
Mia Rabson reports for The Canadian Press.
In short:
- Indigenous leaders have sought funding for over 30 years to investigate health impacts from oilsands pollution.
- Past studies identified elevated cancer rates and contaminants like arsenic and mercury in water and wildlife.
- Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault emphasized the need to understand the impacts of living downstream from oilsands.
Key quote:
"I've heard loud and clear community members need to know what impacts of living downstream from the oilsands means for them."
— Steven Guilbeault, Environment Minister
Why this matters:
Indigenous communities have long expressed concerns about health risks from industrial pollution, which underscores the importance of addressing environmental justice.
