Environmental Health Monitoring in Northern Saskatchewan

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, in partnership with the three Northern Health Authorities (Mamawetan Churchill River, Keewatin Yatthé, Athabasca), Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority (NITHA), and Alberta Health and Wellness are conducting a biomonitoring project of pregnant women living in northern Saskatchewan.

Biomonitoring is the measurement of environmental chemicals in people. For this project, the chemicals will be measured in blood samples. Environmental chemicals include, but are not limited to, lead, mercury, PCBs, pesticides and breakdown products of nicotine. Pregnant women routinely have blood tests during pregnancy; therefore, we can assess what environmental chemicals might be present community-wide - without having to take blood from every resident.

Knowing the level of environmental chemicals in the blood of northern Saskatchewan residents helps to ensure the health and safety of northern residents. It will provide information to address community concerns of people living close to industry. It will also to provide a baseline of the levels before more industrialization occurs in the north.

Please click the Common Questions link below to find out more.