CONTAMINANTS AND REMEDIATION DIRECTORATE
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Northern Contaminants Program

The Northern Contaminants Program (NCP) is working to reduce and, wherever possible, eliminate contaminants from sources in traditional foods, while providing information that help people and communities make informed decisions.

Some of the aims of the Program include:

• Addressing high priority issues in communities of highest risk where people are being exposed to contaminant levels of concern to health authorities
• Conducting research and monitoring to provide sound dietary advice in communities of highest risk
• Meeting Canada’s obligations under the Stockholm and LRTAP (Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution) Conventions
• Providing education and communication in high priority areas.

The Northern Contaminants Program (NCP) was established in response to studies that showed the presence of contaminants in the Arctic ecosystem. Many of these contaminants have no Arctic sources and yet some are found at high levels in animals at the top of the Arctic food chain and in humans. Currently the focus is on the following contaminant groups of concern: persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals (such as mercury). Currently the NCP has an annual budget of $4.4 million. The Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development manages the program and contributes $4 million annually, and Health Canada contributes $400,000.

In the NWT, the Northwest Territories Environmental Contaminants Committee (NWT ECC) facilitates communication of information to residents of the NWT on the presence and possible effects of long-range contaminants in air, land, water, fish, wildlife and humans as part of the NCP. The committee consists of representatives from national and regional Aboriginal groups, as well as various departments in the federal and territorial governments.

For more information, please contact:

Michèle Culhane
Northern Contaminants Program – NT Region
and co-chair NWT Environmental Contaminants Committee
Phone: (867) 669-2452
Fax: (867) 669-2721
Email: culhanem@inac-ainc.gc.ca
NCP Website: http://www.inac.gc.ca/ncp