Government of Canada supports six new research projects to explore impacts of plastic pollution on Indigenous communities

Press Release

From: Environment and Climate Change Canada

May 12, 2026

Today, the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature, announced nearly $2.4 million in research funding to help deepen our understanding of the social, cultural, and economic impacts of plastic pollution on Indigenous communities. This initiative, launched in partnership with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, will support six Indigenous-led and co-led projects over two years.

In addition to examining the effects of plastic pollution on wildlife, the environment, and human health, these six projects will provide training and mentorship opportunities for students and emerging scholars, helping to build capacity at the intersection of Indigenous Knowledge systems, social sciences, and environmental research.

Environment and Climate Change Canada is funding the following projects:

• Dr. Max Liboiron, Memorial University of Newfoundland, will collaborate with the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation in the Yukon to create a community-run program to track plastic pollution on their land and waters.
• Dr. Heather Igloliorte, University of Victoria, will collaborate with Northern Indigenous artists, scientists, and Knowledge Keepers to raise awareness about how plastic pollution affects Northern communities.
• Dr. Darlene Sanderson, University of Northern British Columbia, will work with the Tsilhqot’in Nation to better understand how plastic pollution affects the local water and the community’s well-being. The project will create a scalable framework for use by other Indigenous communities.
• Dr. Nil Basu, McGill University, will collaborate with Indigenous partners to study how plastic pollution affects Indigenous peoples, identify barriers to their participation in plastics governance, and create a national Indigenous network on plastics pollution.
• Dr. Stephane McLachlan, University of Manitoba, will collaborate with Indigenous communities across Manitoba to study how plastic pollution affects the lands and waters of First Nations communities in Manitoba and support intergenerational learning.
• Dr. Nicolas Brunet, University of Guelph, and the community of Arviat, Nunavut, will map where plastic pollution is found on their territory and how it affects the community’s well-being, food systems, and ecosystems. This will help develop an Inuit-led plan to reduce the impacts of plastic pollution that other Arctic communities can benefit from.

The project results will support Canada’s comprehensive plan to reduce plastic waste and pollution, help inform decision-making, and guide future science.

Quotes

“Today’s announcement reiterates Canada’s commitment in supporting the leadership of Indigenous peoples to help conserve ecosystems, protect Indigenous cultures, and develop sustainable economies for future generations. This targeted research investment supports partnerships that bridge, braid, and weave Indigenous science and Knowledge systems with academic research. It is through these scientific and complementary actions that we will be able to address critical knowledge gaps about plastics across their lifecycle.”

– The Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature

“Through this investment, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada is proud to support Indigenous-led and co-led research that brings together social sciences, humanities, and Indigenous Knowledge systems to better understand the far-reaching impacts of plastic pollution. These projects reflect the strength of collaborative, community-driven approaches and will generate meaningful insights that inform policy, support Indigenous priorities, and contribute to more sustainable and inclusive solutions for the future.”

– Sylvie Lamoureux, Chief Operating Officer and Vice-President, Research, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

Quick facts

• Plastic pollution is found nearly everywhere on Earth and threatens ecosystems, wildlife, and potentially human health.
• The Government of Canada has committed to reducing plastic waste and pollution. In 2018, Canada spearheaded and endorsed the Ocean Plastics Charter and the Strategy on Zero Plastic Waste.
• Canada’s federal, provincial, and territorial governments also adopted the Canada-wide Action Plan on Zero Plastic Waste, which aims to:
  • Identify actions to enhance the circularity of plastics within the economy
  • Outline actions to prevent and reduce plastic pollution, foster awareness, bolster science, and support global action
• The funded projects are all Indigenous-led or co-led and will address at least one of the following research objectives:
  • Understanding the potential impacts of plastic pollution on Indigenous peoples
  • Indigenous approaches to address plastic pollution

Related products

• Indigenous Science and the Impacts of Plastic Pollution – June 2025 Competition

Associated links

• Canada’s Plastics Science Agenda
• Plastic Waste and Pollution Reduction

Contacts

Keean Nembhard
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature
343-552-2387
Keean.Nembhard@ec.gc.ca

Media Relations
Environment and Climate Change Canada
819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free)
media@ec.gc.ca

Media Relations
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
medias@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca

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