Development of Innovative Approaches to Assess Health Effects of Transportation Infrastructure Projects

The World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The holistic nature of this definition provides the basis for an all-encompassing evaluation of health, which is the guiding principle behind health impact assessment (HIA). An emerging area of public concern in Canada is the assessment of the potential impact that transportation infrastructure has on human health. HIA is ideally placed for such an assessment. Broadly, HIA can provide an evaluation of the positive and negative impacts of transportation infrastructure projects on community health, and help inform and provide decision-makers with an opportunity to minimize adverse health outcomes and maximize health benefits. At Intrinsik Environmental Sciences Inc., our Mitacs intern will work closely with our professional scientific staff to research and develop a framework for conducting health impact assessments of transportation infrastructure projects in Canada.

Faculty Supervisor:

Jim MacLellan

Student:

Faiza Waheed

Partner:

Intrinsik Environmental Sciences Inc.

Discipline:

Environmental sciences

Sector:

Environmental industry

University:

University of Toronto