Government of Canada launches call for proposals for northern contaminants research and monitoring projects

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Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

Oct 30, 2024, 14:11 ET

GATINEAU, QC, Oct. 30, 2024 /CNW/ - In the North and Arctic, traditionally harvested foods from the land and sea provide many health, economic, social, and cultural benefits to Northerners.

These foods, however, can potentially expose people to long-range contaminants, including persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals like mercury, microplastics, and others. Supporting research and monitoring of these contaminants is critical to improving and protecting the health and well-being of residents, animals, and ecosystems in the region.

Today, the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, announced the launch of the annual call for proposals for research and monitoring projects on contaminants originating from other parts of the world. These contaminants are transported through air and sea currents to the North and Arctic.

As part of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada's Northern Contaminants Program, beginning in 2025-2026, close to $1 million will be available for projects for a duration of up to three consecutive years. This investment will support new projects related to human health, environmental and community-based monitoring and research, and associated public outreach initiatives.

Community members, Indigenous and territorial organizations, and governments are encouraged to work in partnership with university and federal government scientists to submit a proposal. Applicants have until January 20, 2025, to submit their proposals. Projects selected for funding will be announced in the summer of 2025.

Quote

"Contaminants from long-range, global sources continue to be a concern in the North and Arctic. Indigenous Peoples, Northerners, and scientists are working together to better understand the levels of contaminants in foods and to implement co-developed solutions for reducing exposure to these contaminants. The projects will help policymakers, communities, and residents determine the safety of traditional country foods, which can affect the health and well-being of all those who make the North and Arctic their home." 

The Honourable Dan Vandal, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Northern Affairs

Quick facts

  • The Northern Contaminants Program has an annual budget of approximately $5.1 million, which includes close to $1 million for the 2025-2026 call for proposals.
  • In the 2024-2025 project year, 66 projects were selected for funding from the Northern Contaminants Program.
  • Proposals for funding are subject to a thorough technical and social-cultural review process conducted in coordination with subject-matter experts and northern and Indigenous members of regional committees in Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut.
  • Projects are carried out through partnerships between Indigenous and territorial governments and organizations, university, and community-based researchers, and federal science-based departments.
  • The program communicates its findings and project results in several ways, including on the program's website, through workshops and outreach activities with stakeholders in Canada's North, and through various Government of Canada publications.
  • The Northern Contaminants Program is inclusive of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis residing in northern and Arctic areas.

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SOURCE Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

For more information, media may contact: Carson Debert, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, [email protected]; Media Relations, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, 819-934-2302, [email protected]

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Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada