Tawâw / Oki / Hóʔą / Danit'ada / Okâch / Âba wathtech / Pee-piihtikweek / Welcome
to the Environmental Public Health Resource Hub for Alberta First Nations
Environmental public health helps protect and promote the health of individuals and communities by addressing environmental factors that can affect health and safety. This webpage provides curated information and resources for health centre and community staff, facility operators, leadership, and the general public in First Nations communities in Alberta. Resources are organized by environmental public health service area and may include general and health information, surveillance and monitoring resources, prevention and preparedness guidance, response and management tools, training materials, and topic-specific resources.
What is Environmental Public Health Services?
Environmental Public Health Services delivered by Environmental Public Health Officers (EPHOs) are provided to First Nations to ensure public health and safety in their communities. EPHOs are certified through a national professional association, the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI).
Services cover the following areas:
- Drinking and Recreational Water Quality
- Emergency Preparedness and Response
- Environmental Communicable Disease Control
- Food Safety
- Health and Housing
- Public Facilities
- Solid Waste
- Wastewater
Environmental Public Health Officers work collaboratively with First Nations Health Centres and Leadership to deliver these services through pre-planning consultations, reviewing plans, inspecting, investigating, sampling, testing, training, providing technical advice and recommending corrective actions.
Commitment to Alberta First Nations
We acknowledge that our environmental public health services are provided on the traditional territories of the First Nations of Treaties 6, 7, and 8, and the homeland of the Métis. We honour the enduring stewardship, knowledge, and contributions of Indigenous Peoples and are committed to working in partnership to support healthy communities.
Environmental Public Health Officers are committed to providing First Nations high quality environmental public health services through:
- Collaborating with First Nations to develop services
- Responding quickly to community environmental public health needs
- Providing advocacy and expertise in environmental public health
- Supporting First Nations in training and building capacity in environmental public health
- Using culturally appropriate education and outreach methods
- Recognizing environmental public health is part of holistic wellness
- Respecting First Nations cultures and their connection to the environment
- Respecting and adhering to the Principles of OCAP®
For environmental public health inquiries, please contact your local
Environmental Public Health Officer (EPHO) or community Health Centre.
