Young et al CHC Textbook Chapter_2021 Oct 31 (002)_

Introduction Human economic activity in Canada has historically centred around the environment and the land, from indigenous traditions and sense of place, through the massive harvesting of natural resources prized by first the colonizers and then corporations, the cultivation of large tracts of land for agriculture, and industrial development working with these resources (Innis, 1956, 2017). [...] Ignoring Indigenous teachings on the sacredness of the land, consideration of ecological or health impacts were historically minimal, often leaving communities and their health services to grapple with a burden of illness stemming from a degradation of the surrounding environment. [...] We began with a search of CHC websites in the national database of Canadian Association of Community Health Centres (CACHC) and the Alliance for Healthier Communities in Ontario. [...] Themes from the Truth and Reconciliation Report (2015) The TRC report includes numerous references to the importance of nature and the land as central to Indigenous values and way of life, echoed in our interviews. [...] Reconnecting with the land and other species is a strong part of both Indigenous and eco-health approaches to health (Parkes 2011) as well as a growing body of literature connecting experiences with nature and health (Hartig et al.