Swetha Salian

The primary focus of this study is to find a correlation between National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) facilities and Indigenous reserves in Sarnia, Ontario, specifically the Aamjiwnaang First Nations reserve. Besides the primary study area of Sarnia, a comparative study was done with other industrial cities along the Great Lakes in Ontario, such as, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Windsor, and Hamilton. Aggregate Dissemination Area (ADA) level data from the 2016 Canadian Census data was used for this study. A geodemographic segmentation analysis was completed using statistical methods such as principal component analysis and K-Means clustering analysis. The results of the study reveal that, in Sarnia, there are 14 ADAs with a population of 88,233 that are within a 5-kilometre radius of toxic NPRI facilities. Additionally, the K-Means cluster groups around NPRI facilities in Sarnia are low income, marginalized communities, which is indicative that the Aamjiwnaang community is affected by poor environment, poor health, and poor economic and living standards.