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Iron reduction and sulfate reduction are two of the major biogeochemical processes that occur in anoxic sediments. Microbes that catalyze these reactions are therefore some of the most abundant organisms in the subsurface, and some of the most important. Due to the variety of mechanisms that microbes employ to derive energy from these reactions, including the use of soluble electron shuttles, the dynamics between iron- and sulfate-reducing populations under changing biogeochemical conditions still elude complete characterization. Here, we amended experimental bioreactors comprised of freshwater aquifer sediment with ferric iron, sulfate, acetate, and the model electron shuttle AQDS (9,10-anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate) and monitored both the changing redox conditions as well as changes in the microbial community over time. The addition of the electron shuttle AQDS did increase the initial rate of Fe III reduction; however, it had little effect on the composition of the microbial community. Our results show that in both AQDS- and AQDS+ systems there was an initial dominance of organisms classified as Geobacter (a genus of dissimilatory Fe III -reducing bacteria), after which sequences classified as Desulfosporosinus (a genus of dissimilatory sulfate-reducing bacteria) came to dominate both experimental systems. Furthermore, most of the ferric iron reduction occurred under this later, ostensibly “sulfate-reducing” phase of the experiment. This calls into question the usefulness of classifying subsurface sediments by the dominant microbial process alone because of their interrelated biogeochemical consequences. To better inform models of microbially-catalyzed subsurface processes, such interactions must be more thoroughly understood under a broad range of conditions.

In community-based research projects, needs assessments are one of the first steps to identify community priorities. Access-related issues often pose significant barriers to participation in research and evaluation for rural and remote communities, particularly Indigenous communities, which also have a complex relationship with academia due to a history of exploitation. To bridge this gap, work with Indigenous communities requires consistent and meaningful engagement. The prominence of digital devices (i.e., smartphones) offers an unparalleled opportunity for ethical and equitable engagement between researchers and communities across jurisdictions, particularly in remote communities. This paper presents a framework to guide needs assessments which embed digital platforms in partnership with Indigenous communities. Guided by this framework, a qualitative needs assessment was conducted with a subarctic Métis community in Saskatchewan, Canada. This project is governed by an Advisory Council comprised of Knowledge Keepers, Elders, and youth in the community. An environmental scan of relevant programs, three key informant interviews, and two focus groups (n = 4 in each) were conducted to systematically identify community priorities. Through discussions with the community, four priorities were identified: (1) the Coronavirus pandemic, (2) climate change impacts on the environment, (3) mental health and wellbeing, and (4) food security and sovereignty. Given the timing of the needs assessment, the community identified the Coronavirus pandemic as a key priority requiring digital initiatives. Recommendations for community-based needs assessments to conceptualize and implement digital infrastructure are put forward, with an emphasis on self-governance and data sovereignty.

Background Addressing Indigenous food security and food sovereignty calls for community-driven strategies to improve access to and availability of traditional and local food. Participatory approaches that integrate Indigenous leadership have supported successful program implementation. Learning Circles: Local Healthy Food to School is a participatory program that convenes a range of stakeholders including food producers, educators and Knowledge Keepers to plan, implement and monitor local food system action. Pilot work (2014–2015) in Haida Gwaii, British Columbia (BC), showed promising results of the Learning Circles (LC) approach in enhancing local and traditional food access, knowledge and skills among youth and adolescents. The objective of the current evaluation was therefore to examine the process of scaling-up the LC vertically within the Haida Nation; and horizontally across three diverse First Nations contexts: Gitxsan Nation, Hazelton /Upper Skeena, BC; Ministikwan Lake Cree Nation, Saskatchewan; and Black River First Nation, Manitoba between 2016 and 2019. Methods An implementation science framework, Foster-Fishman and Watson’s (2012) ABLe Change Framework, was used to understand the LC as a participatory approach to facilitate community capacity building to strengthen local food systems. Interviews ( n  = 52), meeting summaries ( n  = 44) and tracking sheets ( n  = 39) were thematically analyzed. Results The LC facilitated a collaborative process to: (1) build on strengths and explore ways to increase readiness and capacity to reclaim traditional and local food systems; (2) strengthen connections to land, traditional knowledge and ways of life; (3) foster community-level action and multi-sector partnerships; (4) drive actions towards decolonization through revitalization of traditional foods; (5) improve availability of and appreciation for local healthy and traditional foods in school communities; and (6) promote holistic wellness through steps towards food sovereignty and food security. Scale-up within Haida Gwaii supported a growing, robust local and traditional food system and enhanced Haida leadership. The approach worked well in other First Nations contexts, though baseline capacity and the presence of champions were enabling factors. Conclusions Findings highlight LC as a participatory approach to build capacity and support iterative planning-to-action in community food systems. Identified strengths and challenges support opportunities to expand, adopt and modify the LC approach in other Indigenous communities with diverse food systems.

Background Through their support of local agriculture, relationships, and healthy diets, farmers markets can contribute to a sustainable food system. Markets like the Yellowknife Farmers Market (YKFM) are social spaces that support local food, yet the COVID-19 pandemic has forced changes to their current model. We explore the potential of online marketplaces to contribute to a resilient, sustainable food system through a case study of the YKFM. Methods In 2019, a collaborative mixed-method evaluation was initiated by the YKFM and university partners in the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada. The evaluation included an in-person Rapid Market Assessment dot survey and questionnaire of market patrons from two YKFM dates prior to the pandemic. Due to COVID-19, a vendor survey and interviews were deferred. Data collected from the two patron surveys, alongside researcher observations, available literature, public announcements, and informal email and phone discussions, inform the discussion. Results For the patron surveys, 59 dot survey and 31 questionnaire participants were recruited. The top motivators for attendance were eating dinner, atmosphere, and supporting local businesses, and most patrons attended as couples and spent over half of their time talking to others. The YKFM did not move online; instead, they proposed and implemented a “Shop, don’t stop” market. Informal conversations suggested the small scale of the market and technology challenges were perceived barriers to moving online. The physically-distanced market was well-attended and featured in local media. Conclusions NWT food strategies rely on farmers markets to nurture a local food system. Data suggest a potential incongruence between an online model and important market characteristics such as the event-like atmosphere. Available literature suggests online markets can support local food by facilitating purchasing and knowledge-sharing, yet they do not replicate the open-air or social experience. The decision not to move online for the YKFM reflects market patron characteristics and current food context in Yellowknife and the NWT. While online adaptation does not fit into the YKFM plan today, online markets may prove useful as a complementary strategy for future emerging stressors to enhance the resiliency of local systems.

Background Physical activity behaviours are known to be highly correlated. Adolescents who participate in one type of physical activity (e.g., physical education) have a greater likelihood of participating in other physical activities (e.g., organized sports); however, little research has examined participation rates in various physical activity behaviours concurrently. This study identified longitudinal physical activity profiles among secondary school aged youth in Ontario, Canada. Methods We used data from the COMPASS Study, a school-based prospective cohort study of adolescents in Canada. Using a repeated measures latent class analysis, Ontario students who participated in grade 9 PE in 2015-16 were analysed through to 2018-19 ( n  = 1,917). Latent classes were defined by: PE participation, guideline adherence (≥ 60 min/day of moderate to vigorous activity over the last 7 days), and sport participation (varsity, community, and/or intramural). Multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine associations between latent class membership and student characteristics. Results Three distinct latent classes were identified for females and four were identified for males. These classes were: (1) Guidelines (high probability of guideline adherence; females: 44%; males: 16%), (2) PE & Sports (high probability of PE and sport participation; females: 33%; males: 43%), (3) Guidelines & Sports (high probability of guideline adherence and sport participation; females: 23%; males: 23%;), and (4) Inactive (low probability of all physical activity indicators; males: 18%). Strength training, sleep, and English grade were associated with class membership among females. Ethno-racial identity, weekly spending money, strength training, and English and math grades were associated with class membership among males. Conclusions Findings suggest that latent physical activity profiles differ by sex. Guideline adherence was the most common class among females, indicating high levels of independent physical activity, whereas PE & Sport participation was the most common class among males, indicating greater tendency towards organized activities. Additionally, a substantial number of male students were not engaging in any physical activity. Participation in both PE and sports did not necessarily lead to meeting physical activity guidelines, highlighting that these activities alone may not be providing sufficient levels of physical activity that align with current recommendations for Canadian youth.

The development and dissemination of health messaging is a critical component of reducing health disparities. Participants (  = 87) from a human biomonitoring study in six Dene communities responded to a survey about health communication regarding contaminants. The survey included questions on awareness of health messages and risk perceptions related to country foods and contaminants. The vast majority of participants reported eating country foods (99%) and heard that country foods had beneficial nutrients (90%). Seventy per cent of respondents had heard or seen messages about fish with high levels of mercury, and 60% had concerns about the safety or quality of country foods they consumed. Respondents who reported decreasing the number of fish they ate since hearing the messages about fish and mercury had lower (  = 0.04) mercury concentration in hair, compared to those who had not heard the messages. However, no differences in hair mercury were observed for respondents who reported to have changed their fishing location, chosen smaller fish or eaten less predatory fish since hearing the messages. Results indicate the need to examine reasons for self-reported behaviour changes, in addition to awareness. The conclusions of this study can inform the development of messaging and risk management decisions about contaminants within Indigenous populations.

Background Collaborative approaches to knowledge translation (KT) are important for advancing community-engaged research. However, there is a need for examples of participatory approaches that have effectively supported public health research, program development, and implementation with First Nations communities. To strengthen KT with communities, we proposed a set of guiding principles for participatory planning and action for local food system change. Principles emerged from a cross-community analysis of Learning Circles: Local Healthy Food to School (LC:LHF2S) a participatory program (2015–2019) for Indigenous food system action. The objective was to identify guiding principles for participatory planning and action from key learnings and successes on scaling-up of the Learning Circles (LC) model vertically in Haida Nation, British Columbia (BC), and horizontally in three distinct community contexts: Gitxsan Nation, Hazelton /Upper Skeena, BC; Ministikwan Lake. The application of these principles is discussed in the context of our ongoing partnership with Williams Treaties First Nations to support community planning to enhance food security and sovereignty. Methods A cross-community thematic analysis was conducted and guided by an implementation science framework, Foster-Fishman and Watson’s (2012) ABLe Change Framework, to identify key learnings and successes from adapting the LC approach. Information gathered from interviews ( n  = 55) and meeting reports ( n  = 37) was thematically analyzed to inform the development of guiding principles. Community sense-making of findings informed applicability in a new community context embarking on food systems work. Results Emergent guiding principles for participatory food system planning and action are described within four main areas: (1) create safe and ethical spaces for dialog by establishing trust and commitment from the ground up, (2) understand the context for change through community engagement, (3) foster relationships to strengthen and sustain impact, and (4) reflect and embrace program flexibility to integrate learnings. Conclusions Emergent principles offer guidance to supporting Indigenous community-led research and mobilization of knowledge into action. Principles are intended to support researchers and health system administrators with taking a collaborative approach that fosters relationships and integration of community leadership, knowledge, and action for food system change. Application of principles with implementation frameworks can strengthen KT in Indigenous contexts by incorporating community protocols and perspectives in support of Indigenous self-determined priorities.

The Nutrition North Canada (NNC) program, introduced in April 2011 is a federal strategy to improve access to perishable, nutritious foods for remote and isolated communities in northern Canada by subsidising retailers to provide price reductions at the point of purchase. As of March 2023, 123 communities are eligible for the program. To evaluate existing evidence and research on the NNC program to inform policy decisions to improve the effectiveness of NNC. A scoping review of peer-reviewed articles was conducted in ten databases along with a supplemental grey literature search of government and non-government reports published between 2011 and 2022. The search yielded 172 publications for screening, of which 42 were included in the analysis. Narrative thematic evidence synthesis yielded 104 critiques and 341 recommendations of the NNC program across eight themes. The most-identified recommendations focus on transparency, communication, and support for harvesting, hunting, and community food initiatives. This review highlights recommendations informed by the literature to address critiques of the NNC program to improve food security, increase access to perishable and non-perishable items, and support community-based food initiatives among eligible communities. The review also identifies priority areas for future policy directions such as additional support for education initiatives, communication and transparency amidst program changes, and food price regulations.

Introduction: Chronic household food insecurity (HFI) and lack of food availability and accessibility in isolated communities are longstanding public health crises. This review aims to paint a more fulsome picture of food security initiatives in remote and isolated communities by examining programs across circumpolar countries, Australia, and Aotearoa New Zealand. This synthesis of research will contribute to an understanding of what types of initiatives exist and aid in the identification of best practices. Methods: The authors conducted a scoping review identifying articles that include either (1) an evaluation of an initiative with a quantitative food security outcome in remote and isolated communities, or (2) quantitative associations between exposure factors with food security outcomes. Inclusion criteria included English and French articles focused on remote and isolated communities in Canada, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Greenland, and Russia from January 1997 to July 2022. Results: The article search yielded 1882 results, of which 96 fulfilled the inclusion criteria, including 26 studies evaluating initiatives, 66 studies evaluating exposure factors, and four studies that included both initiatives and exposure factors. The majority of the studies included in this review were conducted in Canada and Australia. No initiative studies conducted in Russia, Greenland, Norway, Finland, or Sweden fulfilled the criteria for inclusion in this review. The most common types of initiatives evaluated included school-based programs, market subsidies, and education initiatives, though a small number (<5) of other programs were evaluated, including traditional food programs and greenhouses. Though multiple programs resulted in lower food costs or increases in healthy food consumption in remote regions, the cost of a healthy diet in these areas remained high, as do levels of HFI. Factors associated with improved food security outcomes included higher income level, access to adequate housing, higher education level, access to transportation for harvesting, and the level of remoteness of a community. The studies included in this review also stressed the importance of access to and affordability of harvesting traditional foods in these regions. Conclusion: Those living in remote and isolated communities are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity and lack of access and availability of healthy foods, which are compounded by a variety of socioeconomic factors. This study highlights the lack of quantitative evaluations of food security initiatives in remote and isolated communities, as well as the wide variety in measured outcomes. Authors of several of the included articles note that community-led initiatives, with strong partnerships and local champions, were recommended in these populations, given the culturally and geographically diverse groups living in remote and isolated a

Background The prevalence of COPD continues to rise. To address the challenges to provide high quality COPD care in rural and northern communities, leaders in one rural and northern community in Western Canada sought to change the culture of COPD screening and care. Recognizing effective assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for patients with COPD are crucial to improve outcomes, a program was developed between 2012 and 2021 to enhance primary care for COPD patients. Methods A process evaluation was undertaken to assess program development, implementation, mechanisms of impact, and context of COPD program. Qualitative thematic analysis of stakeholder interviews ( n  = 11) and a document review ( n  = 60; ~ 500 pages) of key clinic documents was conducted. Results We describe five phases of the COPD program’s development (Survive; Reorganize and Stabilize; Assess and Respond; Build and Refine; and Sustain and Share), highlighting areas of innovation. Outreach and localizing resources improved access to the program. Acquiring secured physician compensation, capturing quality data, and improving patient and provider self-efficacy built the capacity of the system and stakeholders within it. Finally, relationships were forged through building an integrated facility, collaborative networking, and patient engagement. Key elements of program implementation included the resources (infrastructure, software, operational) required to ensure operation. Conclusion Team-based care and service integration enhanced care capacity and the health network. Focused use of infrastructure and resources supported the people in the care system. Upholding a shared value of relationship is critical to deliver robust and sustainable rural healthcare. Quality improvement requires investment in rural community healthcare resources.