CANTEST provides $250,000 to support funding of Aboriginal Environmental Health Chair

Burnaby/Prince George, British Columbia. CANTEST announced today that it will contribute $250,000 towards research on the effects of chemical substances in the Environment on the health of Aboriginal people in Northern BC.

This contribution will help fund a new Chair at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), to be held by Dr. Lorie Chan, a nationally recognized expert on environmental health issues in remote and Aboriginal communities.

“CANTEST is very pleased to be able to support Dr. Chan’s research”, says Don Enns, CANTEST’s President & CEO. “His studies will provide invaluable insight into how environmental contaminants effect the health and well-being of a select demographic. In addition, the results of his research are widely considered a stepping stone to how we will measure environmental impact on human health on a much broader scale in the future.”

“This research is a great example of innovative, cutting-edge science being paired with traditional knowledge, striving for empowerment of Aboriginal peoples to make the best decisions for community health”, adds Dr. Chan.

Prior to taking up this post, Dr. Chan was an associate professor at the Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Environment at McGill University. He currently holds awards totalling more than $600,000 a year from a variety of national agencies, including the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Health Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs and Natural Resources Canada.

Dr. Chan’s study will involve private as well as academic research, with an emphasis on toxicology, chemistry and environmental quality. Its collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach makes it unique in Canada and its inclusive view of environmental issues and human health is what elicited CANTEST’s support, which is considered only the first step in a long-term research initiative.

About CANTEST Environmental
CANTEST’s Environmental division specializes in soil, water & air analysis, assisting clients to meet government and regulatory standards for a wide variety of environmental investigations. Typical projects include testing in support of contaminated site assessment and remediation, long-term environmental impact studies, petroleum hydrocarbon determination, chemical spills, discharge permits, water potability testing, recreational water analysis, bacteriological analysis and environmental research.
 
About  CANTEST
CANTEST is a Life Sciences Company providing professional analysis and consultation in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, environmental, industrial hygiene and food safety related fields.  The company operates Canadian offices in BC, Manitoba and Ontario with affiliates in the United States and Southeast Asia. To learn more about CANTEST, visit www.cantest.com.

Media Contact:
Don Enns (denns@cantest.com)
Phone: 604 639 2614

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