A new seminar hosted by the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Medicine seeks to teach students, faculty members and staff about the legacy of environmental racism in Black and Indigenous communities.
Ingrid Waldron, a professor and the chair in peace and health at McMaster University, is leading the online event on Jan. 30.
Waldron, who is also the co-founder and co-director of the Canadian Coalition for Environmental and Climate Justice, has dedicated her career to researching ecological violence and structural determinants of health. She is also the author of the book From the Enlightenment to Black Lives Matter: Tracing the Impacts of Racial Trauma in Black Communities from the Colonial Era to Present.
The Charlatan spoke with Waldron to learn more about her research and advocacy ahead of the event.
The Charlatan (TC): How do you define environmental racism in Canada?
Ingrid Waldron (IW): Environmental racism can be defined as the disproportionate location of environmentally hazardous toxic projects in primarily Indigenous and other non-white or racialized communities across Canada.
TC: What are some examples of environmental racism in Canada?
IW: A lot of Indigenous communities across Canada are dealing with pipelines. A pipeline is planned to be built near the community of Wet’suwet’en First Nation in northern B.C. In Nova Scotia, there’s a community called Sipekne’katik First Nation where plans were made to develop a brine discharge pipeline near the Sipekne’katik River starting in 2014. Thankfully, the community, through its advocacy and activism, was able to get that project halted.
Then there are communities like Pictou Landing First Nation, once again in Nova Scotia, where they had a toxic boat harbour facility near their community. It was this toxic area where effluent, dirty water was being pumped into the boat harbour from a mill.
Another example would be dumps. The African Nova Scotian community in Shelburne, Nova Scotia was near a dump since 1942, which became a very toxic site with hazardous waste from the hospital and military base.
There’s also Aamjiwnaang First Nation near Sarnia, Ontario, which is surrounded by over 60 petrochemical facilities. To me, this is the worst-case scenario of environmental racism in Canada.
TC: What are some of the effects people in these communities experience as a result of environmental racism?
IW: When I spoke with people from these communities, the main health concerns they shared were high rates of cancer, including rare cancers. I would say the second-most significant health concern would be respiratory illness. Environmental racism has also led to skin rashes, reproductive health issues, kidney disease, neurological issues and autism.
In terms of social issues, communities don’t want those facilities in their backyard. I remember when I was at a meeting with the African Nova Scotian community, many of them spoke of very deep stigma and taboo surrounding their community, saying, “We live near a dump, but people treat us as if we are the dump.”
They also talked a lot about the mental health impacts of environmental racism — the psychosocial stressors that result from always wondering whether or not your water is clean, for example. People talked a lot about PTSD, depression and substance dependence.
TC: Do you feel there is increased environmental racism right now, given that many political leaders support resource extraction with statements like “Drill, baby, drill”?
IW: I do. We see a rise in white supremacy in the United States, we’ve seen that rise in Europe before, and we’re kind of seeing it in Canada now. I’m always worried, because this is an issue that’s really difficult and slow to address. What gives me hope is the young people that are on the front lines of climate and environmental justice organizing.
TC: How have you worked to address environmental racism in your career?
IW: The most significant is the fact that I co-developed Canada’s very first environmental justice legislation. In June 2024, the bill, which became Bill C-266 under Green Party leader Elizabeth May, was given royal assent. It became law. I’m hoping this legislation can advance and address the issue of environmental racism.
The other way is working with communities. When you get people together in a focus group or a workshop, a lot of people start to get mobilized. When I started this work, people didn’t know what environmental racism was. I think as I continue to educate, people start to get it right, even the politicians. It gives people this sense of wanting to do something since I’ve made it real for them by talking about the cases across Canada.
IW: In the book, I talk about different forms of anti-Black racism within our social structures, such as education and the labour system. My argument is all these forms of racism often result in trauma experienced by Black people, and trauma often leads to mental health issues in Black communities.
I argue this trauma needs to be legitimized by health professionals, including mental health professionals. Many people have said to me, “Ingrid, this is a real turn. You do a lot of work on environmental racism, but this is really different.” And I say to them, “No, environmental racism is just one form of anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism.”
The event will be held virtually on Zoom on Jan. 30 from 12 p.m. to 1p.m. Faculty members, staff and learners can register for the event online.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Featured Image provided by Ingrid Waldron.
