This important workshop held Feb 8 -10, 2011 in Ottawa brought together researchers from across the Canadian Arctic. Community-based researchers, Elders, and youth came gathered for the first time to share their findings from the first three years of the Climate Change and Health Adaptation in Northern First Nations and Inuit Communities Program.

They came to share their experiences, their research findings and to strategize for the future with university partners and policy makers. They discussed the many climate change and health research projects that have been taking place in communities and regions across the Canadian north.

Over the past several years, researchers and communities have been documenting changes to plants, animals, land, and water in Canada’s Arctic. Both the scientists and the northern people are reporting profound changes such as melting ice and thawing permafrost, forest fires, warmer temperatures, and changing weather patterns. These changes have both a direct and indirect impact on the health and well-being of the people in the north.

The purpose of the Health Canada Initiative was to promote northern participation in monitoring, discussing, advocating, and participation in adaptation to the changing environment. There were 36 projects throughout the Canadian North. The workshop highlighted research from across the north.

Further information on the workshop can be found at http://csch.ca/workshop/.