Project Introduction

The industrialization of the Hamilton Harbour is responsible for numerous local health and environmental repercussions. Historically, steel plants in the industrial sector have been significant contributors to coal burning and resulting pollutants, thus negatively impacting both air and water quality. These elevated pollution levels are strongly correlated with rates of prevalent illnesses in Hamilton, Ontario. Only recently have initiatives emerged to transition to alternative energy sources, primarily due to policy shifts, scientific research findings, and escalating public pressure. Currently, there is clear documentation of correlations between the development of the Harbour and health and environmental ramifications. Despite the existence of such documentation, a sequential presentation of the key findings is unavailable in a format accessible to both the scientific community and the general public. Our project aimed to analyze the historical and contemporary health and environmental implications of Hamilton’s steel industry. This was accomplished through the investigation of temporal and spatial data and photographic evidence retrieved from scientific articles, public health resources, historical archives, and GIS mapping tools. By employing historical methodologies, we combined visual, oral, and contextual histories to explore the connections between personal narratives and health and environmental statistics. Our findings were presented in an interactive online timeline format that is accessible for a general public audience. Given the growing health and environmental concerns, the emergence of remediation efforts, and the continual changes in policies, it is increasingly imperative to present the history of Hamilton’s steel industry, in an accessible way, through an integrated scientific and social lens.

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