Public libraries are evolving, lending out more than just books and acting as hubs for innovative programming. One example in Canada is the rise of radon “Lending Library” programs that connect patrons to radon information and digital radon detectors. Beginning in British Columbia and Nova Scotia, there are now over 300 libraries that lend digital detectors across the country and more come on board regularly. The success of the radon program hinges on the unique role that libraries play in communities. Not only are libraries well-established, trusted sources of knowledge but more and more libraries are taking part in innovative public health initiatives. In some regions, patrons can borrow items such as CO2 and PM2.5 sensors, sun lamps, surgical recovery equipment and even mobility-aides for visitors. There is growing enthusiasm for more collaboration between librarians and public health professionals, in part as they address important issue such as access and health equity. This…
Presentations
The team at NCCEH regularly presents at environmental health events across Canada, in addition to organizing workshops and meetings on various topics. A select listing of our conference presentations and external webinars, as well as presentations from our Environmental Health Seminar Series are available here.
This presentation will highlight the National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health’s (NCCIH) collaboration on the 2022 national assessment titled the Health of Canadians in a Changing Climate: Advancing our Knowledge for Action, produced by Health Canada’s Climate Change and Health Innovation Bureau. This comprehensive study of current and projected risks from climate change to the health of Canadians included a chapter dedicated to climate change and Indigenous Peoples’ health in Canada. Contributing author, Donna Atkinson will provide an overview of the key findings of this chapter; a summary of specific climate change risks to First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples’ health; the role of Indigenous knowledges and rights in climate change adaptation, research and policy; and knowledge gaps for future research.
Donna Atkinson, MA, National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health
Donna Atkinson is the Manager of the National Collaborating Centre for…
Health Canada published the revised lead drinking water guideline in 2019. The document included recommendations for sampling protocols to assess lead exposure such as random daytime and fixed stagnation time sampling. The selection of a sampling protocol will depend on the objective of the sampling (e.g. typical exposure) and building type (e.g., single-family dwellings, large buildings, schools) and factors such as plumbing configuration and water use/consumption patterns. Indigenous Services Canada conducted a sampling survey in Alberta Region to determine community lead levels in schools and daycares ahead of the guideline changes, to identify potential sources of lead, and to evaluate compliance with the updated guideline.
France Lemieux Head, Materials and Treatment Section Water and Air Quality Bureau, Health Canada
France Lemieux is the Head of the Materials and Treatment Section in Health Canada’s Water and Air Quality Bureau. She holds a Bachelor's degree…
Presented by:
David McVea, Public Health Physician, Environmental Health Services, BC Centre for Disease Control Jeffrey Trieu, Epidemiologist, BC Centre for Disease Control
Indoor radon is an important cause of lung cancer in British Columbia (BC), responsible for about 15% of lung cancer deaths. The risk of radon-attributable lung cancers varies across the province, however, depending on geological factors as well as housing characteristics. Accurately assessing the risk posed by residential radon in BC requires sufficient measurements taken from representative samples of homes in each region.
To support this work, as well as other policy and research efforts, the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) has established the British Columbia Radon Data Repository (BCRDR), which houses over 14,000 anonymized indoor radon measurements from across the province, including over 11,000 from residences. Measurements are collected from federal,…
Presentation Slides:
The BCCDC/NCCEH Environmental Health Seminar Series provides an opportunity for learning and knowledge exchange on a variety of environmental health topics. The seminars can be attended in-person or online.
Speakers: Casey Neathway, Interior Regional Manager of Environmental Public Health Services, First Nations Health AuthorityLeela Steiner, Environmental Health and Knowledge Translation Scientist, NCCEH
Summary: Indigenous people have long relied on traditional foods, as they are nutritionally, culturally, and economically important to individuals and communities, and are an important aspect of food sovereignty. As the climate changes and as other environmental stressors begin to amplify, many Indigenous people and communities are pursuing ways to both strengthen their connections with local land and food systems and bolster their ability to produce and retain traditional foods. This webinar presents evidence on six unique food safety issues, based on adaptation…
Radon, an odorless, colourless, radioactive gas, is an established carcinogen and the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers. Radon poses a health risk for indoor environments, particularly in rooms on ground or basement levels where the gas can enter through cracks in the foundation. Health Canada has been measuring radon levels in homes and workplaces and elevated levels of radon have been identified in most regions of the country.
The following presentation focus on radon testing in First Nations communities. The first presentation details historical radon testing initiatives conducted with First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities across Canada. The second presentation provides an overview of a recent collaborative project, done in conjunction with the First Nations Health Authority, that tested radon in communities in the interior of British Columbia.
This presentation, delivered at the Centre du savoir sur mesure (CESAM) 1st national symposium, contains a combination of academic research carried out during the Exxon Valdez oil spill as well as a much more recent event that occurred in Heiltsuk territory on BC’s central coast.
The BCCDC/NCCEH Environmental Health Seminar Series provides an opportunity for learning and knowledge exchange on a variety of environmental health topics. The seminars can be attended in-person or online.
Speakers:Chief Councillor Marilyn Slett, Heiltsuk NationLinda Pillsworth, Manager of Environmental Public Health Services, FNHAAngela Eykelbosh, Environmental Health & Knowledge Translation Scientist, NCCEH/BCCDC
Abstract:In the first of two BCCDC Environmental Health Seminars focusing on oil/fuel spills and public health, Chief Marilyn Slett and Linda Pillsworth will speak on the still-unfolding events and impacts of the Bella Bella diesel spill that occurred in October 2016. This case study will provide a brief timeline of the spill events, community perspectives on health impacts, a description of measures used to support the community, and a discussion of existing and upcoming challenges.A brief primer on the health effects of large marine spills on human…
Canadian Public Health Association Public Health 2016
In collaboration with NCCAH, this session included four presentations, each addressing different aspects of a holistic approach towards integrating the natural and built environment, economy, and health in Indigenous community planning. The following concepts emerged from the 90-minute symposium:
A healthy built environment takes into consideration community design, housing, infrastructure, air and water quality, and are associated health indicators such as walkability, proximity to traffic, access to healthy food, proximity to green space.In considering the design and planning of a healthy built environment in an Indigenous community context, it is necessary to use knowledge, methods and practice that promote self-reliance, resiliency and respect for Indigenous culture.Indigenous-led planning within a comprehensive community planning framework considers governance, land and resources, health, economy, social, culture…