A former member of the Lambton Community Health Study isn't holding out much hope that the province will conduct an impartial study into the health effects of industrial air pollution on area residents.
Environment Minister Chris Ballard announced Monday that the province will fund a study and would be announcing stricter regulations in the coming weeks, but failed to say how the study would proceed and give a timeline.
Ada Lockridge (File photo by Jake Jeffrey)
Aamjiwnaang's Ada Lockridge says the local health study folded in 2016 after eight years of work because of lack of senior government funding.
"Phase three is where we needed all the money," says Lockridge. "I asked a Health Canada representative if phase three of the study would look into scientific evidence if it is industry making people sick and he said 'no'. Why spend all that money on health records when you can just get it from the hospital? We need to find out if there's a direct link between the industries and the health problems of all people -- not just at Aamjiwnaang."
Lockridge says she would support an independent panel of impartial experts with no industrial members.
Monday's announcement came after several Toronto area journalists raised concerns about whether Sarnia area residents are being properly notified when chemicals like benzene are leaked.