After numerous requests from locals spanning more than 20 years, a federally sponsored investigation is set to commence to assess the health repercussions of the oilsands on inhabitants in Fort Chipewyan, an Indigenous settlement in northern Alberta. Residents in the area, situated over 200 kilometers north of Fort McMurray, have long suspected a correlation between cancer cases in Fort Chipewyan and the industrial activities upstream along the Athabasca River.
Imperial Oil’s Kearl mine, where a significant 5.3-million-liter discharge occurred in 2023, is approximately 140 kilometers away from Fort Chipewyan. The nearest project is Suncor Energy’s Fort Hills mine, situated more than 90 kilometers away.
The study will involve an analysis of existing and historical health records, exploration of local disease patterns, and monitoring of both individuals and the environment. Additionally, researchers will evaluate the impact of environmental alterations on the community’s culture and daily routines.
Ruby Ladouceur, the president of the Fort Chipewyan Métis Nation, emphasized the importance of seeking answers without assigning blame prematurely. The study, named Project Monument Hill after a local viewpoint overlooking Fort Chipewyan and Lake Athabasca, will integrate both western scientific methods and Indigenous knowledge of the land.
The 10-year, $12 million study was announced by the federal government in August 2024, with initial funding allocated in March for the project’s planning and governance phase. Ladouceur highlighted the study’s objective of understanding the connection between environmental conditions, traditional land usage, and the well-being of the community.
Dr. John O’Connor, a vocal advocate for investigating cancer cases in Fort Chipewyan since 2006, expressed satisfaction that the study is underway but voiced concerns about the prolonged 10-year timeline.
Previous reports on cancer in Fort Chipewyan primarily examined medical records and health trends among residents, overlooking individuals who relocated, including those seeking cancer treatments. Studies have highlighted elevated cancer rates in Fort Chipewyan compared to the rest of Alberta and identified industrial contaminants in plants and animals harvested by locals.
While past reports attributed the cancer instances to factors like lifestyle choices, inadequate medical resources, and not industrial exposure, community leaders in Fort Chipewyan criticized these conclusions, advocating for a comprehensive, long-term community health study.
Ladouceur stressed that the primary focus of the new study is to evaluate the impact of environmental changes on the health of Indigenous people and their community, rather than solely considering lifestyle factors. Limited publicly available data exists on the relationship between cancer cases in Fort Chipewyan and the environmental modifications resulting from oilsands developments, as stated by Davies-Flett.