Project 459720

Different sources of air and ground (i.e., soil and water) pollution around the Fort William First Nation (FWFN) region in NW Ontario might be causing public health issues allegedly linked to a conspicuous leukemia cluster about 500 times the national average. All the environmental information available for this region is contained in a series of Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) reports for different years and pollution sources. The ESA includes a preliminary interpretation of the extent of contamination based on fragmented and limited data, preventing a thorough understanding for informed decision-making. The long-term goal of this project is to build environmental monitoring capacities within FWFN by developing an integrated machine learning-based methodological approach that allows high-resolution characterizations of ground and air pollution and their likely influences on the community's health. In accomplishing the objectives of this project, it will be possible to locate and track the pathways of the contaminants of concern, as well as nurture, together with the FWFN community, an Integrated Knowledge Translation (IKT) strategy grounded in Listening and Sharing. As a result, based on quantitative evidence, we will be able to assess the feasibility of implementing appropriate prevention, mitigation and/or remediation techniques with the active participation of community members and leaders.