ID: 2215
Presenting Author: Rory MacLean
Session: 684 - Cumulative Effects Assessment: does it make a difference?
Status: pending
Mixed-methods assessment identifying cumulative health and safety impacts in industrial regions, highlighting pressures on Indigenous communities and the need for integrated mitigations
Industrial development impacts on community health and safety are often underestimated due to limited understanding of cumulative and regional conditions. Unprecedented industrial development in northern British Columbia prompted a health and safety assessment to address critical knowledge gaps affecting Indigenous communities reliant on regional infrastructure and services This work was conducted on behalf of an Indigenous Nation by global community health and safety practitioners using Health Impact Assessment methodology. The study revealed intersecting crises in healthcare, housing, substance use, human trafficking, and marine shipping, and indicated the need for potential industrial projects to take a broader view in addressing regional cumulative effects to adequately integrate community health and safety considerations into proposals. Mitigation recommendations included minimising impacts to traditional territories, strategies to address workforce housing market displacement, gender-based violence prevention, and enhanced emergency response capacity
Rory Maclean is a Human Environment Specialist at Arrowsmith Gold Inc. AGI conducted the supplemental assessment and communication strategies for an Indigenous Nation navigating industrial d
Coauthor 1: Chris Picard