Traditional Environmental Monitoring Program (Phase 1)

In 1996, following the accidental release of PCBs, dioxins and furans from the Swan Hills Waste Treatment Centre into the surrounding air of Swan Hills, Alberta, a wild game consumption advisory was issued within a 30 km radius of the treatment centre. However, several First Nations communities in the area were concerned that the consumption advisory was not applicable to their members, due to low representation of First Nations People in the Alberta Health study, which served as the basis for the advisory. Furthermore, First Nations community members consumed greater amounts of wild game than reported in the study. Hence, the Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council, in partnership with Health Canada, initiated the Lesser Slave Lake Health Study (LSLHS) to investigate the traditional food consumption patterns and blood contaminant levels of community members for the purpose of re-examining the applicability of the 1996 Alberta Health consumption advisory.

In this study, the primary risk group was composed of participants selected by the Band Councils from three First Nations communities (Driftpile, Sucker Creek, and Swan River). The team believed these participants would have higher levels of contaminant exposure due to their above average consumption of freshwater fish and/or wild game harvested from the Swan Hills area. The project team collected blood and hair samples from this group which they examined for total PCBs, cadmium, lead, and mercury. A survey questionnaire was also administered to the individuals who provided hair and blood samples to obtain information related to health, traditional food consumption, and traditional lifestyle.

Final results are included in Phase 2 Public Summary for 2001-2002.