Environmental Racism in Canada (Plain-Language Summary)

What is Environmental Racism?

In Canada, environmental racism often has these traits:

• Industries that create environmental hazards are located near Indigenous, Black and other minority communities.
• These communities do not have political power to prevent these industries from being near them.
• Governments create policies that allow these harmful activities to take place in these areas.
• Pollutants are not cleaned up quickly.
• Environmental and decision-making groups lack members from Indigenous, Black and other minority communities.

Examples of Environmental Racism in Canada

Shelburne, Nova Scotia

In the 1940s, the Morvan Road Landfill was located in Shelburne, an African Nova Scotian community. In early 2016, community members came together to address the social and health effects of the landfill. By the end of that year, the landfill closed due to the community’s efforts.

Africville, Nova Scotia

Africville is a former African Nova Scotian community. In 1965, the City of Halifax relocated community members and took their property. The area became a location of many hazardous activities. In 2016, about 300 former residents and their descendants tried to sue Halifax over the loss of their land. In 2018, a judge turned down the application, so the case was not heard.

Lincolnville, Nova Scotia

Lincolnville is a current African Nova Scotian community located near two landfills. The community voiced concerns about the cancer-causing chemicals in their drinking water. They also raised concerns about the environmentally hazardous methods used at one of the landfills. They started a community-led initiative to remove that landfill.

Pictou Landing First Nation

In 1967, the Northern Pulp mill began dumping polluted water into Boat Harbour, Nova Scotia. Three of Pictou Landing First Nation’s reserves are located along the harbour. The community started action against the federal government in 1986, but the government did not address the issue. In 2014, the First Nation’s government set up a blockade of the road leading to the site of the dumping. The First Nation and provincial governments agreed to shut down the mill by 2020. After that, the First Nation ended the blockade. The Northern Pulp mill closed in January 2020.

Sipekne’katik First Nation

In 2014, Sipekne’katik First Nation began opposing a natural gas development. Alton Natural Gas Storage wanted to build a pipeline on unceded land near the Shubenacadie River in Nova Scotia (see also Indigenous Territory). Sipekne’katik First Nation argues that they were not consulted enough and did not consent to the project. The Nation appealed the province’s approval of the project several times. In 2020, the court disagreed with the approval, and the Nation won their case. The judge ordered the province to continue consultations with Sipekne'katik First Nation.

Grassy Narrows First Nation

Asubpeeschoseewagong Netum Anishinabek (also known as Grassy Narrows First Nation) is located north of Kenora, Ontario. In the 1960s, Dryden Chemicals Ltd. dumped mercury into the English-Wabigoon river system. The mercury poisoned fish in the river system, a main source of food and income for the community. The provincial government told the community to stop eating fish and later closed their commercial fishery. This hurt the Nation’s economy. Within a year, the community’s unemployment rate rose from 5 per cent to 95 per cent. Dryden Chemicals Ltd. closed in 1976, but the health effects of mercury pollution remain.

Aamjiwnaang First Nation

Aamjiwnaang First Nation is located near Sarnia, an area in Ontario known as Chemical Valley. It is Canada’s largest petroleum refining region. Chemical Valley has more than 60 petrochemical facilities within a 25 km² area. High rates of health issues have been linked to these facilities. The Aamjiwnaang First Nation depended on fish from the St. Clair River, which flows through Chemical Valley. More than 32 major spills and 300 minor ones affected the river between 1974 and 1986. These spills contributed to about 10 tonnes of pollutants in the St. Clair River.

Wet'suwet'en First Nation

In British Columbia, the hereditary chiefs of the Wet'suwet'en First Nation opposed the Coastal GasLink pipeline. In 2018, the Unist’ot’en and Gidimt’en clans set up blockades near Smithers, BC, to prevent access to the pipeline construction site. Supporters joined in mass protests, sit-ins and blockades.

Environmental Racism Legislation

In 2015, the Environmental Racism Prevention Act (Bill 111) was introduced in Nova Scotia. However, it was never approved as legislation. In 2020, it was reintroduced as a federal bill entitled National Strategy to Redress Environmental Racism Act (Bill C-230). Bill C-230 did not pass the final vote before the election in 2021. The bill was introduced again in 2022 as the National Strategy Respecting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice Act (Bill C-226). Bill C-226 was passed and received royal assent in June 2024 (see also Act).