Health concerns in oil sands community focus of study

Nothing is off the table – and that includes the impacts of industrial development – as the parameters of a health study in Fort McKay and area are set this month.

 “We’re committed to enter into a community-led process to identify priority questions and concerns related to health and if some of those concerns touch on either the quality of water or the air that people breathe then yes, by all means… (it’s) going to have to be looked at in that context,” said Dr. Andre Corriveau, chief medical officer of health with Alberta Health and Wellness.

Corriveau said discussions for a similar study in the Fort Chipewyan area also took place, but nothing concrete came of those talks.

In September, Fort McKay First Nation and Fort McKay Métis community received letters of intent from the province giving the go-ahead for a health study in the region.

Raymond Powder, councillor for the Fort McKay First Nation, said he jumped at the opportunity to take the government up on its offer when he received the letter of intent.

“This study is way outstanding, way overdue,” he said. He noted that discussion for the collaborative study began two years ago.

“We are at ground zero when it comes to the oil sands. Not only are we affected by the downstream, we’re also affected by air quality as well as just development all around us,” said Ron Quintal, president of Fort McKay Métis community.

Quintal noted that Fort McKay’s director of health and community physician Dr. John O’Connor will be involved in the study. A few years back, O’Connor raised concerns over the high levels of cancer he was noticing in his patients in the Fort Chipewyan area. Both he and his findings were highly criticized by Health Canada.

Powder anticipates health issues will span a broad spectrum, from environmental to community to individual.

“We also need to include prevention prior to intervention,” he said.

Issues to be examined and their priorities will be set by the Fort McKay Aboriginal communities. A steering group or management committee will be formed to move the study forward.

The health study is the first of its kind as it partners the provincial departments of Health and Wellness and International, Intergovern-mental and Aboriginal Relations with a First Nation and Métis community.

The province has committed funding, its expertise and its networking contacts to the project, said Corriveau. He anticipates the study will take three- to five-years to run its course.

“It can’t just stay at the level of ‘we’ve done a study’ but where does it lead us in terms of our health care delivery system. If we identify unmet needs then you need to be able to translate that into what impact does it have on the way we run the health centre or relationships we have with referral centres for tertiary care or with Alberta Health Services.  We need to make sure it goes all the way to the solutions, not just a nice report that you publish in a medical journal and that’s it,” said Corriveau.
If some of the concerns the community identifies already have data available for examination, then the focus will switch to solutions, said Corriveau. Other concerns may result in studies being initiated and new data collected. Analyzing those findings would take more time.

Quintal stressed that while the government may suggest experts or researchers, those contracted to carry out the studies and analyze the results will be chosen by the Métis and First Nation communities.

“The study will be run and operated by the community so it will be our scientists, it will be our technical people that do the study. It will give the community trust. There’s always a bit of suspicion when it comes to data gathered by the oil sands. We’re very skeptical of that,” said Quintal.

Corriveau said no formal amount of money has been set aside specifically for the Fort McKay health study.
“We have a new government … but I think the commitment was quite firm that they wanted to move ahead,” he said. “The commitment (is) to work together over several years, not just one-off,” he said.

While the federal government is not a partner in the study, Corriveau anticipates federal funding will be acquired for the project through both national health and research foundations.

Both Powder and Quintal said their respective members are pleased with the upcoming study as is the leadership.