First Nations Baseline Assessment Program on Health and the Environment

On this page

• About the program
• Who can apply
• Special requirement for funding
• What research focus areas are included
• Deadline
• How to apply
• Contact us

About the program

Some industrial activities have the potential to contaminate the air, water and land and impact human health. This is why it is important to have information on the health of community members and the environment before industrial projects start. This information is known as baseline data and it can be used to compare with data collected after industrial activities have begun, to identify if there are changes in human health and the environment.

The First Nations Baseline Assessment Program on Health and the Environment aims to support First Nations in assessing the baseline status of human health and the environment in their communities prior to the implementation of large scale industrial projects on their traditional territories. Projects that focus on intergenerational knowledge translation with Elders and youth are particularly welcomed.

This program supports projects for a maximum of 2 years.

Selected research proposals can receive up to $125,000 per project in funding over 2 years between April 2024 and March 2026. An applicant can only submit one proposal in a given year.

Who can apply

This program is open to applicants south of the 60° parallel in:

• Alberta
• Saskatchewan
• Manitoba
• Ontario
• Quebec
• Atlantic Canada (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island)

Groups that can apply for funding include:

• First Nations communities on reserve
• First Nations organizations
• bands
• districts
• councils
• tribal councils and associations
• governments of self-governing First Nations communities

British Columbia is not included in this program as they receive health information and services through the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA). First Nations in British Columbia can apply to a similar program through FNHA's Environmental Contaminants Program.

To be eligible for funding, First Nation communities must be recognized under the Indian Act.

Special requirement for funding

The project must incorporate Indigenous knowledge and scientific methodologies. First Nations will need to work with an academically trained scientist with a track record of peer-reviewed publications in the field of public health or exposure science (for example, an epidemiologist or a toxicologist).

The scientific principal investigator must have academic qualifications at the masters' level, for example, Master of Science (M.Sc.), Master of Public Health (MPH) as a minimum.

What research areas are included

The project should focus on the baseline assessment of human health in combination with environmental conditions in First Nations communities (for example, traditional foods, water, soil and air).

Focus areas that may be considered for funding:

• social determinants of health
• Indigenous determinants of health^{Footnote 1}
• Indigenous knowledge or traditional knowledge, including Elders' knowledge of lands, resources and culture
• community-based data integrating human health and health of wildlife and environment
• land based wellness data
• harvesting and food safety and security data
• mortality
• hospitalization
• overall disease or illness prevalence in the community
• chronic disease, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease
• prevalence of communicable disease, such as tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections
• mental health
• maternal and child health
• oral health
• injuries
• lifestyle and behaviours
• community perceptions on general state of health

Any social, health and lifestyle questionnaires or surveys should allow for voluntary self-identification by gender, including allowing gender diverse people to describe their gender identity in their own words, in order to make analysis more precise.

Deadline

A proposal, in English or French, must be received by Indigenous Services Canada no later than February 16, 2024, 11.55 p.m. Mountain Time.

How to apply

The proposal should include a:

• cover page
• plain language summary, maximum 1 page
• background information on the community including the current state of the environment and human health, indicating potential impacts from advancing environmental changes and future development pressures or cumulative effects, maximum 2 pages
• project description:
  • introduction
  • objectives
  • methodology, including data collection and data management
  • activities and outcomes
  • strengthening capacity
  • traditional knowledge
  • Elders and youth
• workplan and timelines
• overview of project team, including partners and team leads.
  • partners should include resumes
• communication or dissemination plan
• overview of integrating the scientific approach to the baseline health assessment with traditional knowledge and perspectives
• budget
• letters of support (maximum of 2) or Band Council Resolution (BCR)

Proposals must:

• not be more than 3 double-sided pages, excluding cover page and appendices
• use Arial black, size 12 font, formatted for 8.5" x 11" size paper

You can ask us for a detailed proposal template, including budget template and information on how proposals will be evaluated. Send an email to: sac.pebse-pn-fn-baphe.isc@canada.ca.

How to submit your proposal

• Email: sac.pebse-pn-fn-baphe.isc@canada.ca
• Fax: 613-952-8639
• By mail:
  First Nations Baseline Assessment Program on Health and the Environment
  Environmental Public Health Division
  Population Health and Primary Care Directorate
  First Nations and Inuit Health Branch
  Indigenous Services Canada
  A.L.  1919D
  Rue 10 Wellington, Suite 1455
  Gatineau QC  K1A 0H4

Please note that proposals that are submitted by courier or Canada Post must be postmarked by February 16, 2024, 11.55 p.m. Mountain Time.