Presentations

The 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.

Presenter: Dr. Angela Eykelbosh, Environmental Health & Knowledge Translation Scientist, NCCEH The transmission of COVID-19, which occurs primarily through close contact with an infected person, has made it necessary for large proportions of the world’s population to self-isolate in their homes. However, those dwelling in multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) face additional challenges as they must necessarily use and share common areas and facilities, and are dependent upon building managers to maintain good indoor environmental quality (IEQ). Based on a recent NCCEH publication, this webinar will look at some of the evidence on COVID-19 transmission and consider how this applies to transmission risk in MURBs. We will discuss current cleaning and sanitation guidance…

The 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.

Presenter: Dr. Karen Bartlett, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia

Occupants of buildings depend on what we term “good” Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ). The actual definition of IEQ is somewhat elusive, as it is the absence of problems in the indoor environment which could detract from the health and productivity of occupants. Buildings need to be designed and built with the occupant in mind, and as we rapidly progress into sustainable building designs, we also need to make sure that buildings can accommodate the changing environments of our cities and climate. We will explore some of the facets of the occupant/building interface in these changing environments.

The 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.

Presenters: Mark McCabe, Fraser Health Authority; Christopher Radziminski and Phillip White, City of Vancouver

Presentation 1: Investigating an Outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease from Cooling Towers in Surrey, BC

In August 2018, Fraser Health detected an outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease in Surrey, BC. We employed traditional and novel strategies for identifying and stopping the source, and ultimately, were able to implicate a specific cooling tower as a source of the outbreak. This presentation describes the story of our investigation, the tools and strategies we employed, and key challenges and considerations we faced.

Presentation 2: Driving Down Legionella Risk in the City of Vancouver

This year, Vancouver is implementing mandatory operating…

The 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.

Presenters: Lori Holmes, Huron Perth Public Health; Sunil Varughese, Public Health Ontario; Vince Spilchuk, Public Health Ontario

Cosmetics, such as skin creams containing mercury, have long been used in several countries for skin-lightening, anti-aging and acne treatment effects. The harmful effects of mercury to human health are well known. Although many countries including Canada have restricted its use in cosmetics to protect the public from mercury exposure, production and subsequent access to these products continues to occur.

The following presentation will outline a recent case of mercury poisoning in an infant that led to a collaborative public health investigation involving provincial, federal and international public health stakeholders. Through the…

The 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.

Presenter: Keith Warriner, Department of Food Science, University of Guelph

The next chapter in marijuana legalization is the introduction of commercially produced edibles with the first legal products expected to be on the shelves next month. The regulations appear restrictive and the types of edibles to be available remain obscure. However, there exists a gray market where a diverse range of edibles are available with a trend of domestically produced edibles set to become increasingly popular.

In the following presentation an overview of a foundation risk assessment will be provided. This will include risk identification (biological, physical and chemical), risk characterization, risk management options and risk communication strategies. With regards to the latter…

The 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.

This seminar highlighted three student research projects from the BCIT Environmental Health Program.

Titles:

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.

Presenter: Tissa Rahim, Project Coordinator, BC Centre for Disease Control

Under legalization of cannabis in the United States poison centres reported an increase in calls about cannabis exposures compared to those in states where cannabis remained illegal during both the lead up to and just after legalization/decriminalization. In 2018 the BC Drug and Poison Information Centre (DPIC) received 644 calls as compared to 241 calls received in 2013. Many adverse effects reported were from people exposed to products that are not yet regulated, including those that were purchased from unlicensed stores/online, or from taking cannabis in combination with other substances. DPIC also received calls about children accidentally exposed to edibles, particularly candies, and…

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.

Speaker: Peter Berry, Senior Policy Analyst, Health Canada

Canada's changing climate is accelerating at an alarming rate that result in significant threats on our health and well-being, infrastructure, ecological integrity, and economies. This webinar addresses new evidence of health impacts from climate change, the next national health assessment and Canada's HealthADAPT initiative that includes 10 local health authorities.

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: Barbara Oke, Regional Manager, Health and Resource Development, Northern HealthMelissa Aalhus, Health and Resource Development Technical Advisor, Northern Health

The understanding and management of health impacts associated with natural resource development activities like pipelines, mines and processing facilities, has traditionally focused on the impacts from biophysical exposures (e.g. changes to air quality, water quality, etc.). However, extensive research conducted over the past three decades leaves little doubt that social factors are powerful determinants of health and much evidence is emerging that the social, cultural and economic impacts of resource extraction and development are highly complex and intersect to shape health outcomes of…

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: Juliette O'Keeffe, Environmental Health & Knowledge Translation Scientist, NCCEHVictoria (Tory) Colling, Scientist, Walkerton Clean Water Centre

Title: Cyanobacteria and Drinking Water in Canada, Key issues for Public Health

The NCCEH has undertaken an evidence review of Cyanobacteria and Drinking Water: Occurrence, risks, management and knowledge gaps for public health. This presentation will provide the highlights of the report.

Title: Challenges and a Pilot Study on Cyanobacteria and Small Drinking Water Systems

There is a growing concern regarding cyanobacteria in surface waters and the risks of cyanobacteria entering our drinking water treatment systems. This webinar will discuss the challenges and knowledge gaps for treating…

This presentation is based on an NCCEH Evidence Review titled Growing at Home: Health and Safety Concerns for Personal Cannabis Cultivation, which you can access here. A two page factsheet was also developed which is available here.

Multiple versions of this presentation were given between May 2018 and March 2019 to various stakeholder groups including: CIPHI National, CIPHI Manitoba, CIPHI Ontario, First Nations Health Authority (Environmental Public Health Services), First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Nova Scotia Health Authority, Alberta Health Services (Safe Healthy Environments), BC Lung, the Canadian Public Health Association, and UBC’s School of Population and Public Health. While individual presentations were tailored to each group, this slide deck has been developed to represent a generalized version that contains the key content presented to each group.

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…

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.

Presentation 1: Exploring the Relationship between the Built Environment and Social Isolation and Loneliness: Implications for Public Policy

Summary: Purported to be as much of a risk factor for premature mortality as smoking 15 cigarettes per day, social isolation and loneliness is a significant predictor of adverse health outcomes. Through the application of a social ecological lens, a semi-systematic review was conducted to understand the association between the built environment and social isolation and loneliness. This webinar will present the findings of this research.

Speaker: Amber Gillespie, University of Guelph Amber Gillespie is a Registered Nurse and Nurse Educator currently completing a Master of Public Health degree with the University of Guelph.…

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.

Speaker: Shirra Freeman, Environmental Health and Knowledge Translation Scientist, NCCEH

Summary: Plastics are emerging as an important environmental public health (EPH) issue. Within this issue, the safety of plastic food contact articles (PFCA) is especially important for EPH practice. PFCA are designed to safeguard the quality and safety of food and are used extensively in food service and retail settings. Plastic packages, utensils, surfaces, equipment and components provide cost-efficient, convenient solutions for handling, processing, preparing and serving food. The main safety concern is that under certain conditions, toxic chemicals may leach from PFCA into foods, exposing consumers to health risks.

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: Maria Mukhtar, Analyst, Research and Policy, Peel Public Health (Ontario); David Guillette, Data and GIS Specialist, Peel Data Centre (Ontario)

Summary: The impact of the built environment on health and chronic disease outcomes is increasingly being recognized. The Region of Peel – Public Health has been at the forefront of collaborating with Regional and local municipal planning departments to create innovative approaches to entrenching health as an explicit consideration in the land use planning process. Successful implementation of public health built environment interventions relies on the ability to measure changes in the built form, over time. The Healthy Development: Mapping and Monitoring Project measures the health-promoting potential of the…

Climate changes are expanding the areas where ticks can survive and thrive across Canada. The number of Canadians contracting tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme Disease and Anaplasmosis, is also increasing. As a result, educating Canadians on how to prevent tick bites is becoming increasingly important.  This presentation details an animated tick awareness program, aimed specifically at children, that was developed in conjunction with the BCCDC.

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 examines the intersection of Environmental Public Health & health equity.  Key concepts covered in the presentation include: