A federally funded study will soon commence to investigate the health impacts of oilsands on residents in Fort Chipewyan, an Indigenous community in northern Alberta. This study comes after years of community requests for research into potential links between industrial developments upstream along the Athabasca River and cancer cases in Fort Chipewyan.
The study will analyze current and historical health data, observe local disease patterns, and assess the impact of environmental changes on the community’s culture and way of life. It will be conducted by third-party researchers under the oversight of the Métis Nation, the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN), and the Mikisew Cree First Nation (MCFN), with the federal government in an observer role.
Dubbed Project Monument Hill, the 10-year, $12 million study was announced in August 2024, with initial funding received in March for the planning and governance phase. The methodology of the study will blend western science with Indigenous knowledge of the land to understand the connection between environmental conditions, traditional land use, and the well-being of the community.
Previous reports on cancer in Fort Chipewyan have been criticized for not considering all residents, including those who sought cancer treatments outside the community. Studies have shown higher cancer rates in Fort Chipewyan compared to the rest of Alberta, with evidence of industrial contaminants in plants and animals consumed by residents. Despite past reports suggesting lifestyle factors as the cause of elevated cancer rates, community leaders emphasize the need for a comprehensive long-term study on community health.