Corinna Dally-Starna
Ph.D. Candidate
Environmental Studies
Queen's University
2021 - Present
Supervisor(s): Stephen Brown, Yves Filion and Warren Mabee
Research Project: First Nations water security: The role of project and engineering management
Despite decades of dedicated funding, policies, and programs, many First Nations (FN) communities are experiencing water insecurity and its cascading effects: reduced health outcomes, high rates of suicide, out-migration, loss of cultural continuity, overcrowding, and economic disparities. Canada subscribes to evidence-based policy-making. This research hypothesizes that despite the wealth of Indigenous water governance literature, critical data are lacking to inform effectual solutions to address FN drinking water (DW) crises, specifically how to achieve long-term service delivery of FN DW infrastructure--a critical determinant of water security. Although international engineering and infrastructure research and FN leaders are pointing to project and engineering management practices as one possible factor contributing to the under-performance and lack of sustainability of FN DW infrastructure, this critical area of water infrastructure management remains largely unexplored in the Indigenous water governance literature. To fill this data gap, Corinna's research examines what changes, if any, in project and engineering management need to be made to ensure DW infrastructure service delivery consistent with FN needs, wants, and engineering standards in the era of climate change.
Dally-Starna C. (2020) Water crisis in First Nations communities runs deeper than long-term drinking water advisories. The Conversation.