Project Type: Climate Solutions

Summer of Smoke

Background

Ecology North worked with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, the hamlet of Kakisa, and representatives from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) to study the physical and mental health impacts of 2014’s extreme forest fire season and the related costs to the healthcare system. Climate change is creating conditions in the North and across Canada that will make extreme forest fire seasons more common. Drier winters with less snowfall, low water levels, and warmer summers with more lightning storms all contribute to an elevated risk of forest fires during the summer months.

The health risks associated with climate change are many and varied, and the concurrent costs may be more than our system can handle. With the completion of this project we hope to show that climate change is impacting the health system and all of us. The summer of 2014, and the incredible smoke that blanketed the NWT, impacted people in many ways. Vulnerable populations had their physical health impacted by the smoke, but what was most captivating about the results of this project were the emotional and stress related affects throughout the population.

Ecology North and CAPE managed this mixed-method study researching the impacts on the health system, while at the same time asking ordinary NWT residents from four communities to make videos of their experiences in the Summer of 2014. The results show the wide impact that the forest fires had on the population.

The infographic below shows a narration of the Summer of Smoke against the Yellowknife air quality records of the season.

Ecology North was also interested in how Yellowknife’s air quality during the Summer of Smoke compared to the notoriously bad air quality in Beijing, China. Check out the results below.

Summer of Smoke – Interdisciplinary Mixed-Methods Research Project

January 23, 2016 marked the first public showcase of preliminary results from the Summer of Smoke interdisciplinary mixed methods research project. We were incredibly lucky to have such a wealth of knowledge, experience, and initiative on the speaker’s panel. Much thanks goes out to Dr. Patrick Scott; Fred Sangris, former Chief of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation; Jessie MacKenzie, Climate Change and our Lands in Film research coordinator; Dr. Courtney Howard of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment; and Dr. James Orbinski of the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

This project is made possible with funding from Health Canada.

Carbon Pricing in the NWT

Ecology North developed this discussion paper on territorial carbon pricing in February 2016, prior to the implementation of the territorial Carbon Tax in 2019.

Th people and businesses in NWT.

Click below to read the report:

Carbon Pricing for the NWT

In July of 2017, the Government of the Northwest Territories released a carbon pricing discussion paper titled Implementing Pan-Canadian Carbon Pricing in the Northwest Territories. Ecology North provided comments on this discussion paper in September of 2017

Click below to read the comments:

On the implementation of a carbon tax in the Northwest Territories: recommendations

The Permafrost of Peel Plateau

The Peel River Plateau region of the NWT is experiencing some of the most dramatic climate change impacts in the world. Warming winter temperatures and increasing summer rainfall are causing large tracts of land to melt and slump, releasing massive quantities of sediment into rivers and lakes. Scientists working with the NWT’s Cumulative Impacts Monitoring Program are seeking to understand the extent of the changes and their implications for the region and its people.

Christine Wenman spent a week in Ft McPherson NWT filming these scientists at work. The short documentary that was produced features interviews with the scientists as well as local residents who contributed to the research. The film will be available online when it has completed a run of independent festivals.  Watch this space.

Integrating Climate Change into Municipal Planning

Ecology North, the Pembina Institute, and the NWT Association of Communities have created and updated a Climate Change Guide for Community Decision Makers, which is now in it’s third edition. This guide was developed to help communities mainstream climate change into all their decision-making processes. With ten chapters on everything from adaptation planning, hazard mapping, asset management to source water protection there is plenty of useful NWT-specific information available.

If you are interested in how you can bring climate change into your community’s planning processes you can download the guide, below.

Click below to read the Guide for Northern Communities:

Integrating Climate Change Measures into Municipal Planning and Decision-Making

Biodiesel Project

In 2009, Yellowknife resident Daniel Gillis began experiments to create biodiesel and use it in his diesel truck and oil stove. Dan surveyed Yellowknife restaurants in early 2010 to determine that about 84,000 litres of used vegetable oil was being produced and landfilled each year. In September of 2010, the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) and Government of the Northwest Territories – Environment and Natural Resources (GNWT-ENR) agreed to fund an expanded biodiesel project that would include renting an appropriate facility and producing biodiesel as a pilot project with the intent of the project eventually becoming a self-sustaining business. This funded project officially began in October 2010. The goals of the project were to create an alternative home heating fuel, divert used vegetable oil (UVO) from the landfill, create a feasible business model, and pass the knowledge of the project on to others.

Restaurants in Yellowknife produced approximately 84,000 litres of waste vegetable oil in 2010.  Funded by the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency in 2011, Ecology North worked with Dwayne Wohlgemuth to conduct research to find out how feasible it would be to transform this waste oil into biodiesel for use in diesel powered vehicles.  The study found that burning used vegetable oil in boilers to heat buildings was a more economically feasible solution to the problem. If you’d like  to know more about this project you can read and download the final report here.

Click below to view the report:

Feasibility of Biodiesel Production and Direct Use of Used Vegetable Oil for Heating in the City of Yellowknife

Fort McPherson Adaptation Planning Project

The Fort McPherson Adaptation Project was initiated by Ecology North with the support of CS Environmental. It was loosely based on a process developed by the Northern Climate Exchange for the Dawson City Adaptation Plan (NCE, 2009). The resulting collaborative process drew knowledge and expertise from both the community and technical experts from the Northwest Territories.

Tetl’it Zheh Climate Change Adaptation Plan – This report is based on a series of community climate change workshops hosted in Tetl’it Zheh in 2010 and 2011. It includes climate change concerns and next steps for the community.

Tetl’it Gwich’in Climate Change Adaptation Plan Summary – This brochure summarizes the key aspects of the community’s Climate Change Adaptation plan.

Fort McPherson Community Profile – This document provides basic historical, geographic, and demographic information about Tetl’it Zheh.

Tetl’it Gwich’in Adaptation Plan Environmental Scan – This scan is based on the research and process of writing the Climate Change Adaptation Plan for the community of Fort McPherson, NWT. The scan outlines research completed into background issues related to climate change impacts that may be affecting the community and more broadly the Gwich’in region.

Tsiigehtchic Adaptation Planning Project

The Tsiigehtchic Adaptation Project was loosely based on a process developed by the Northern Climate Exchange for the Dawson City Adaptation Plan (NCE. 2009). The resulting collaborative process drew knowledge and expertise from both the community and technical experts from the Northwest Territories.

Gwichya Gwich’in Climate Change Adaptation Plan – This report is based on a community climate change workshop hosted in Tsiigehtchic in December, 2009. It includes climate change concerns and next steps for the community.

Gwichya Gwich’in Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan – This implementation plan outlines the recommended adaptations and attempts to provide a schedule and timeline for the implementation of adaptation activities.

Gwichya Gwich’in Climate Change Adaptation Plan Brochure – This brochure summarizes the key aspects of the community’s Climate Change Adaptation plan.

Tsiigehtchic Community Profile – This document provides basic historical, geographic, and demographic information about Tsiigehtchic.

Climate Change Impacts on Northern Water and Wastewater

The provision of clean drinking water and the effective management of wastewater (including solid waste leachate) are fundamentally important to maintaining environmental, social, and economic health.

In 2010, Ecology North worked collaboratively with Wekweètì, Déline, and Tsiigehtchic to to assess the vulnerability of their water and wastewater systems to climate change and to create a protocol that may be used by other NWT communities to do the same.

The protocol and individual community assessments can be found below.

Protocol to assess the vulnerability of northern water and wastewater systems to climate change impacts

This protocol is designed to guide communities in an initial assessment of the current and
potential impacts of climate change on their water and wastewater systems. This protocol
presents some background information on the potential impacts of climate change on
water and wastewater systems and guides communities through the process of:

  • Identifying the potential impacts of climate change on their water and wastewater systems;
  • Evaluating the likelihood of an impact occurring (the sensitivity of water and wastewater systems to climate change); and
  • Determining the severity of the impact (the consequences of an impact occurring).

Assessment of the vulnerability of Wekweètì’s water and wastewater systems to climate change impacts 

This report present a general discussion of climate change impacts and then examines the
specific impacts that may affect Wekweètì’s water and wastewater systems.

Assessment of the vulnerability of Deline’s water and wastewater systems to climate change impacts 

This report present a general discussion of climate change impacts and then examines the
specific impacts that may affect Déline’s water and wastewater systems.

Assessment of the vulnerability of Tsiigehtchic’s water and wastewater systems to climate change impacts (NOTE: link to this assessment will be added shortly. June 2020)

Ecology North worked with Tsiigehtchic to create a community climate change adaptation plan. This report is in addition to the community climate change adaptation plan.

Navigating the Waters of Change

The purpose of this paper is to provide a preliminary assessment of the potential impacts of climate change on water and wastewater systems in the NWT and recommend actions to increase the capacity of communities to respond and adapt to changes.

This paper explores the current and predicted climactic changes in the NWT, looking specifically at the impact of increasing precipitation and temperature. The paper considers effects such as permafrost thaw, increased water turbidity, and increase in wastewater levels and the impact they may have on drinking water quality and wastewater treatment in communities across the NWT

Click below to read the paper:

Navigating the Waters of Change:
Strengthening the Capacity of NWT Communities to Respond to the Impacts of Climate Change on Municipal Water and Wastewater Systems

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