The central purpose of the Northern River Basins Food Consumption Survey is to demonstrate the value of a holistic (deals with the entire system of factors that affect health), ecological (the field of study concerned with the interrelationships between populations and their environment) framework for guidelines to eating a healthy (contaminant-free) traditional and non-traditional diet. It is for the Aboriginal people in the Treaty 8 region whom still consume a large portion of traditional foods. 

Many Elders, trappers, hunters and Chiefs realize that the traditional food that the Treaty 8 Aboriginal people consume is simply not as healthy as it used to be and therefore, these concerns are now being addressed through the Northern River Basin Food Consumption Study. Alberta Treaty 8 in collaboration with Health Canada and Treaty 8 First Nation communities are striving to ensure that the Northern River Basin Food Consumption Study will indeed benefit the people in the Northern River Basins communities for generations to come.

Finally, Aboriginal people will know if the traditional food they consume is healthy and contaminant-free and will have the information to utilize to make healthy food choices including a health risk assessment to complete the study of certain water bodies in Treaty 8 and the contaminants found relating to the species of fish that is consumed in higher numbers. 

As part of the Northern River Basin Food Consumption Study, there have been two components we have been focusing on. These include the Nutrition and fish collection/laboratory analysis. For a more detail, click on the responding heading to review this information.