Pays Plat, Ontario

Year(s) Funded: 2017-2018
Topic Area: Vulnerability Assessment
Contact: Debbie King <ppsourcewater@outlook.com>
Partners: Pays Plat FN
Website: http://www.ppfn.ca/
Title: Pays Plat First Nation – Preparing Today for Our Health Tomorrow

Action:
  • Workshop #1 – Introducing community to project. What is climate change and how can it affect our health. Guest speakers: Dr. David Pearson (Laurentian University); Erin Myers (Health Canada); Anita Fraser (facilitator) and Pamela Hubbard (graphic artist)
  • Youth workshop #2 – Summer student used Dr. Pearson’s interview questionnaire to get a youth perspective on climate change and health. Many commonalities were discovered with the interviews completed by Elders and hunters.
  • Workshop #3 – Environmental scientist James Salter (Lakehead University) discussed the potential effects of climate change on Lake Superior.
  • Workshop #4 – Project lead and Chief and Council discussed the outcomes and it was decided to apply for future funding to continue the project.
  • Watershed Study – Water and soil sampling to take place in Traditional Territory.

Results:
  • Workshop #1 - The focus of this workshop was to introduce the community to what climate change is and ways it can affect both physical and mental health now and into the future. Erin Myers (Health Canada) discussed previous projects that took place in First Nation communities north of sixty and how the project has expanded to include communities south of sixty. Ms. Myers went on explain the link between climate change and health. Dr. David Pearson (Laurentian University) discussed how climate change is changing our way of life and altering our traditional values. Dr. Pearson explained his “Community-based climate change impact and health risk matrix and how it is used to gather Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). The workshop was facilitated by Anita Fraser and graphic artist Pamela Hubbard was on hand to create some unique aspects of the workshop. Through group discussions, it was concluded that Pays Plat First Nation is vulnerable to emergencies due to climate change as there is only access to the community via highway 17. If the highway is closed because of extreme weather events the community is essentially cut off from the larger city centres. This results in no access to food, medicines or emergency health care. Other concerns mentioned were forest fires, increased intensity of storms, failing infrastructure and access to potable water.
  • Youth workshop – Our summer student held an afternoon workshop with the youth in the community. This workshop was well attended. It was discovered that the youth had many of the same concerns as the Elders and hunters when it came to climate change and health.  For example: Less lily pads; Leaves changing color before fall; Late freezing on lakes/rivers; Seeing pelicans in the area; Less snow than there used to be; Culverts plugging up; Big potholes from rainstorms; Power outages – no water; and Experiencing heat waves in the summer.
  • Workshop # 3 – James Salter (Lakehead University) held a one-day workshop focusing on the potential effects of climate change on Lake Superior and our local watershed. This workshop dealt with aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and how they are important to our future. With many in the community using resources from the land, it was important to show how habitats of species that are commonly hunted or fished for food and plant species that are gathered for food or medicinal purposes are narrowing in area or shifting to other locations with the onset of climatic change. The workshop was well attended with participants ranging from Youth to Elder. Productive dialogue took place concerning how alteration in the environment resulting from climate change are gradual, not seen day to day but over the years.
  • Workshop #4 – Environmental Technician and Chief and Council met to discuss the project. It was decided that the community would benefit if the project was to continue.  Collecting more watershed data and continuing the climate change interviews will help Pays Plat create a unique adaptation plan. Pays Plat submitted a proposal for 2018/19 and was successful. The project will continue this year.
  • Watershed Studies – Environmental Technician collected water and soil samples from various locations in our Traditional Territory. These samples were analyzed both in-situ and by an accredited laboratory at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, On (L.U.E.L. – Lakehead University Environmental Laboratory). This data was used to create a baseline database which will build upon the future with continuous sampling to aid in identifying threats by future changes. Results from the first session of sampling in the summer of 2017 revealed that there were no anomalies in the any of the water or soil samples.

Outputs:
  1. Continued education and emergency preparedness for community members
  2. Assess community infrastructure for expected extreme weather events
  3. Continued watershed monitoring