New research centre to study Canadians most affected by unhealthy 
environments.

For immediate release: Winnipeg and Toronto, Canada - March 7, 2011 -- A 
new Canadian research centre has been launched to investigate and 
respond to the concerns of those most impacted by environmental health 
problems in Canada.

The Centre for Environmental Health Equity (www.cehe.ca) is putting its 
research agenda into the hands of communities to shine a light on the 
often-untold experiences of Canadians who bear the brunt of unhealthy 
environments.

While many Canadians feel that the quality of their environment is a top 
health concern, some groups face far higher health threats from 
environmental burdens that concentrate in particular neighbourhoods or 
regions. “Many environmental health challenges such as poor sanitation, 
air pollution, a lack of public parks and affordable, healthy food often 
cluster within certain communities leading to serious health inequities” 
said Dr. Jeff Masuda, Director of the Centre and Assistant Professor at 
the University of Manitoba.

“For example, First Nations youth living with asthma and allergies face 
more serious health risks than other Canadian youth because they more 
often live in homes, neighbourhoods, and communities affected by road 
dust, mould, and other allergens. Finding solutions is not simply a 
matter of better education, but in identifying the root causes of these 
problems” said Masuda.

By working directly within historically disadvantaged communities, the 
Centre aims to move research more directly into community-led action 
focused on policy change for tangible health improvements for all Canadians.

“We take a very collaborative approach to our work - integrating the 
expertise of local communities with the knowledge of researchers from 
multiple health and environmental fields in order to explore creative 
responses to challenging health problems” said Tara Zupancic, the 
Centre’s Associate Director.

The Centre for Environmental Health Equity currently has three major 
areas of research; urban health, children’s health and First Nations 
health. Funding for the Centre has been provided by the Canadian 
Institutes of Health Research.


For more information contact:
Tara Zupancic,
Associate Director, Centre for Environmental Health Equity
[log in to unmask],
416.550.1189 or 416.201.0531
www.cehe.ca

Dr. Masuda is available for an interview.  Please contact him at: 
[log in to unmask] or (204) 960-9729

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