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actively observing and adapting to changing environments in a diversity of ways for millennia (Ford et al., 2020). Indigenous knowledge systems and practices have been critical to their survival and resilience and are increasingly recognized as valuable to understanding and responding to climate change (Ford et al., 2016b; Expert Panel on Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience, 2018; ILO, 2019). Mobilizing Indigenous knowledges and experiences in climate change adaptation, policy, and research in a consistent, collaborative, decolonial, and rights-based way, however, remains a significant challenge (IPCC, 2014; Ford et al., 2016b; Belfer et al., 2019; Huntington et al., 2019; Latulippe & Klenk, 2020).
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This report provides an overview of climate change risks to Indigenous Peoples’ health in Canada. It begins with a description of Indigenous health inequities, followed by climate change risks to health specific to natural hazards; mental health and well-being; air quality; food safety and security; water quality, quantity, and security; infectious diseases; and health systems. The role of Indigenous knowledges in climate change adaptation, monitoring, policy, and research is then discussed within the context of Indigenous Peoples’ rights as well as national and international obligations. Existing knowledge gaps specific to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples important for efforts to protect health are provided, along with considerations for moving forward.
First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Populations in Canada First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada are a youthful and fast-growing population. In 2016, the Indigenous population reached 1,673,785 (4.9% of the total Canadian population), which represents an increase of 42.5% from the 2006 Census (Statistics Canada, 2017). From 2006 to 2016, the First Nations population grew by 39.3% to reach 977,230; the Inuit population grew by 29.1% to reach 65,025; while the Métis population grew by 51.2% to reach 587,545. The average age of the Indigenous population in 2016 was 32.1 years, which is almost a decade younger than the non-Indigenous population.
