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Aamjiwnaang First Nation and the federal government will work together on a pilot project to address environmental racism.  

The nation, located in Sarnia, Ont., has spent decades fighting to stop pollution from a cluster of petrochemical plants known as Chemical Valley that surround it. On Monday, Aamjiwnaang Chief Janelle Nahmabin and Environment and Climate Change Canada signed the terms of reference to kick off the Lighting of the 8th Fire conference, bringing together various nations, as well as industry and government, to discuss the impacts of development on communities. The terms of reference includes the creation of a new joint committee aimed at addressing contaminants in the air, water and soil.

The agreement stems from the federal government’s Bill C-226, a law aimed at addressing environmental racism — the ways Indigenous, Black and other racialized communities in Canada disproportionately bear the harm of pollution and contamination. The bill, which passed last year, requires Canada to come up with a national strategy to prevent and address environmental racism, in collaboration with the most affected communities.

“Today is a significant day that will chart a course that acknowledges the historic and ongoing injustices that people of Aamjiwnaang have endured,” Nahmabin told an audience at Aamjiwnaang’s community centre for the signing ceremony. 

“Although we are strong, resilient, beautiful people who are rich in community and ambition, we still have been impacted for decades by systematic pollution and lack of environmental protection … Aamjiwnaang will be a pilot for how this rolls out across Canada, and we are ready.”

Aamjiwnaang is an Ojibwe community tucked alongside the St. Clair River, a stone’s throw from the southern tip of Lake Huron. Studies have confirmed what many in the community have been saying for decades: air pollution from industrial plants, particularly the cancer-causing chemical benzene, are putting people’s health at risk in Aamjiwnaang and Sarnia.

The terms of reference, which were read aloud after the signing, lay the groundwork for Aamjiwnaang and Environment and Climate Change Canada to co-develop “tangible and meaningful” solutions through the joint committee. The federal government agreed to follow Aamjiwnaang’s protocols for consulting with the nation. The terms of reference also acknowledged the nation may need capacity funding to fully participate in the joint committee. 

John Moffet, an associate deputy minister at Environment and Climate Change Canada, signed the agreement on behalf of the federal government. In a speech before the signing ceremony, he thanked the nation for its leadership on environmental justice and said the government recognizes the need for trust and honesty.

“We have to be honest about how we got to where we are, honest about the actual impacts in the community,” he said. “We have to be honest with each other about what is possible for the future.” 

Aamjiwnaang has been pushing for change in Sarnia’s Chemical Valley for decades 

Sarnia has a long history with the petrochemical industry. The first oil well in North America was drilled just southeast of Sarnia in the mid-1800s, in a village now named Oil Springs. Further wells followed in the area and, in the 1890s, Imperial Oil bought one of the first refineries to open in Sarnia. More refineries also followed, and during the Second World War, synthetic rubber for the Allied forces was produced in Sarnia. 

More companies set up shop once the war ended, and today, Chemical Valley is home to about 60 refineries and chemical plants. 

Air monitoring data shows Aamjiwnaang residents are exposed to 30 times more benzene than people living in Toronto and Ottawa, the nation has said. And the pollution is worse than in other cities with heavy industries — Aamjiwnaang experiences 10 times more benzene exposure than a city in California with a similar mix of facilities.

Aamjiwnaang’s then-chief and council declared a state of emergency in April 2024, when air monitors in the community picked up massive spikes of benzene. The carcinogen appeared to be coming from the INEOS Styrolution plastics plant across the road from Aamjiwnaang’s band office, and people in the area were hit with headaches and nausea. Band members were warned to stay away from the office and outdoor recreation areas near the plant. Later in the fall, when the company removed benzene from a tank, part of the reserve was evacuated. 

Following the incident, both the Ontario government and Environment and Climate Change Canada ordered the company to cut its benzene emissions. The company temporarily shut down the plant last spring, and has since announced it will permanently shutter and decommission the site. But other industrial sites continue to emit pollutants and, in recent months, Aamjiwnaang has called on the provincial government to crack down and address the problem.

Speaking in Aamjiwnaang on Monday, Nahmabin acknowledged the efforts of people from the community who have spent years advocating for environmental justice, including some who have passed away. It will take time for the nation to undo years and years of environmental damage, Nahmabin said, but the nation knows what needs to change and is ready to lead the way. 

“What we want for our community is clean air, less pollution, pristine waters, plants we can grow and not be afraid to eat,” she said. “And the most basic ask for every living being on this planet: a healthy environment.”

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