Addressing the Environmental, Community, and Health Impacts of Resource Development: Challenges across Scales, Sectors, and Sites

Margot W. Parkes, Sandra Allison, Henry G. Harder, Dawn Hoogeveen, Diana Kutzner, Melissa Aalhus, Evan Adams, Lindsay Beck, Ben Brisbois, Chris G. Buse, Annika Chiasson, Donald C. Cole, Shayna Dolan, Anne Fauré, Raina Fumerton, Maya K. Gislason, Louisa Hadley, Lars K. Hallström, Pierre Horwitz, Raissa Marks, Kaileah McKellar, Helen Moewaka Barnes, Barbara Oke, Linda Pillsworth, Jamie Reschny, Dionne Sanderson, Sarah Skinner, Krista Stelkia, Craig Stephen, Céline Surette, Tim K. Takaro and Cathy Vaillancourt
Additional contact information
Margot W. Parkes: School of Health Sciences, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada
Sandra Allison: School of Health Sciences, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada
Henry G. Harder: School of Health Sciences, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada
Dawn Hoogeveen: School of Health Sciences, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada
Diana Kutzner: School of Health Sciences, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada
Melissa Aalhus: Northern Health Authority, Prince George, BC V2M 4T8, Canada
Evan Adams: First Nations Health Authority, Vancouver, BC V7T 1A2, Canada
Lindsay Beck: First Nations Health Authority, Vancouver, BC V7T 1A2, Canada
Ben Brisbois: School of Health Sciences, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada
Chris G. Buse: School of Health Sciences, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada
Annika Chiasson: New Brunswick Environmental Network, Moncton, NB E1C 1L8, Canada
Donald C. Cole: Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T3M7, Canada
Shayna Dolan: School of Health Sciences, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada
Anne Fauré: Environmental Studies Program, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB E1A 3E9, Canada
Raina Fumerton: Northern Health Authority, Prince George, BC V2M 4T8, Canada
Maya K. Gislason: Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
Louisa Hadley: School of Health Sciences, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada
Lars K. Hallström: Alberta Centre for Sustainable Rural Communities, University of Alberta, Camrose, AB T4V 2R3, Canada
Pierre Horwitz: Centre for Ecosystem Management, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia
Raissa Marks: New Brunswick Environmental Network, Moncton, NB E1C 1L8, Canada
Kaileah McKellar: Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T3M7, Canada
Helen Moewaka Barnes: SHORE and Whāriki Research Centre, Massey University, Auckland 1141, New Zealand
Barbara Oke: Northern Health Authority, Prince George, BC V2M 4T8, Canada
Linda Pillsworth: First Nations Health Authority, Vancouver, BC V7T 1A2, Canada
Jamie Reschny: School of Health Sciences, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada
Dionne Sanderson: First Nations Health Authority, Vancouver, BC V7T 1A2, Canada
Sarah Skinner: Battle River Watershed Alliance, Camrose, Alberta T4V 0N6, Canada
Krista Stelkia: First Nations Health Authority, Vancouver, BC V7T 1A2, Canada
Craig Stephen: Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
Céline Surette: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB E1A 3E9, Canada
Tim K. Takaro: Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
Cathy Vaillancourt: Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Well-Being, Health, Society and Environment (Cinbiose), Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P.8888, succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada

Challenges, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-27

Abstract: Work that addresses the cumulative impacts of resource extraction on environment, community, and health is necessarily large in scope. This paper presents experiences from initiating research at this intersection and explores implications for the ambitious, integrative agenda of planetary health. The purpose is to outline origins, design features, and preliminary insights from our intersectoral and international project, based in Canada and titled the “Environment, Community, Health Observatory” (ECHO) Network. With a clear emphasis on rural, remote, and Indigenous communities, environments, and health, the ECHO Network is designed to answer the question: How can an Environment, Community, Health Observatory Network support the integrative tools and processes required to improve understanding and response to the cumulative health impacts of resource development? The Network is informed by four regional cases across Canada where we employ a framework and an approach grounded in observation, “taking notice for action”, and collective learning. Sharing insights from the foundational phase of this five-year project, we reflect on the hidden and obvious challenges of working across scales, sectors, and sites, and the overlap of generative and uncomfortable entanglements associated with health and resource development. Yet, although intersectoral work addressing the cumulative impacts of resource extraction presents uncertainty and unresolved tensions, ultimately we argue that it is worth staying with the trouble.

Keywords: cumulative impacts; determinants of health; ecosystem approaches to health; extractive industries; intersectoral action for health; partnered research; public health; research design; resource development; rural; remote and northern health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A00 C00 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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