Ensuring the health of our planet and communities

Air forms the basis of all human and animal life. This essential element allows us to breath and move through our lives in a healthy and meaningful way. Clean, fresh air is vital not only to our physical health, but our mental and spiritual well-being as well. Over the last few generations, the increase in air pollution as a result of factories, automobiles and forest fires, among many other factors, is posing serious threats to the health of humans and ecosystems across the globe [3]. Air pollutants such as ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide and other dangerous pollutants affect the human body and can result in major health problems, in addition to damaging ecosystems and wildlife [3].

In Canada, Indigenous People are more likely to suffer from the effects of poor air quality due to underlying health determinants such as poor housing conditions, overcrowding, lack of ventilation, increased exposure to smoke from wood heating and the proximity of many communities to forests that are prone to wildfires [6]. Additionally, First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples already experience higher rates of chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma and respiratory infections, such as tuberculosis, compared to non-Indigenous Canadians [6]. These underlying health and social inequities experienced by Indigenous Peoples in Canada can increase the health risks associated with poor indoor and outdoor air quality [6]. Reducing air pollution and improving air quality must become a top priority for all people in Canada if we are to ensure the health of our planet and communities for the next seven generations.