2.6 Environmental Racism

Many marginalized children and their families experience environmental racism that is embedded into society due to the colonial structure present in the many systems in Canada. It is important to be aware of these inequities and to advocate for change to ensure healthy living is promoted for all children. Statistics Canada (2019) states that Black and Indigenous peoples are much more likely to experience discrimination than non-Indigenous, non-visible minority populations. Environmental racism is too commonly experienced by Black and Indigenous communities in Canada. Two blog posts are included below that describe environmental racism currently being experienced by children and their families in our region of Ontario and across Canada.

Please watch the following video to hear perspectives from those impacted by environmental racism in Canada:

Video: Growing push to address and track environmental racism in Canada by CBC News: The National [2:19] transcript available

Children experiencing environmental racism are not being given an equal start in life in Canada which contradicts the UNCRC treaty signed by Canada. Educators work to support young children and their families by accessing resources to promote well-being and health to ensure all children are getting the best start in life. Children facing adversities require knowledgeable educators who are engaged in interprofessional practice to advocate for change in conditions that hinder health promotion. Additional barriers for children’s health and well-being will be discussed in chapter eight.