As a mother of two in the Aamjiwnaang First Nation, Ada Lockridge shares the same concerns most parents have for the environment their children are learning and growing in. Ada is well known as a celebrated community leader, advocate, and resilient voice of Aamjiwnaang. 

If you look up Chemical Valley, Sarnia, you will see the many industrial companies clustered there. If you try to find out more about these companies, their websites will tell you almost nothing about their activities. The most meaningful information about Chemical Valley comes from the community members who live in Aamjiwnaang First Nation and their perspectives on the reality of being surrounded by petrochemical facilities. 

Ada Lockridge is one of the earliest developers of community-based data collection within the community. Since the 1980s, she has conducted health data collection, bucket brigades sampling air pollution, and spills and notifications collection. She has spent countless hours collecting important information and numbers to help Aamjiwnaang understand the bigger picture that data can tell us about the who, what, when, and where of being impacted by Canada’s Chemical Valley.

All this information was neglected and not collected by the Government of Canada or the industry until Ada, with other concerned people inside and outside the community, started her research. She made data available and approachable. Using body maps and calendars, she shared a greater knowledge of who and how people are impacted by pollution. Canada and Ontario have also collected data about Chemical Valley, but often do not share this information with the Aamjiwnaang community in good faith with consultation or transparency.

Ada has empowered and changed the narrative for Aamjiwnaang. She went door to door, talked to people, and has lived experiences in the community using her Anishinaabe knowledge and practices. Collaborating with many community members, she has been able to do fierce work with her data to give us evidence and validation of health concerns that Aamjiwnaang faces.

Ada’s Calendars

An example of Ada’s important work is her 10 years of documenting spills and releases using calendars and talking to community members. Through this work, she has given Aamjiwnaang important information about how Ontario and Canada’s Chemical Valley have failed Aamjiwnaang year after year, spill after spill. Ada’s work shows us how the industry reported inadequately, and even failed to report, their harms. Her work shows how companies refuse to hold responsibility to the land and people of Aamjiwnaang.

It has been an honor working with Ada. Vanessa and Beze Gray, as well as other youth, have been able to learn from this hero of their community, becoming inspired to carry on the sovereign right to understand and protect the land and water of our traditional territories. Ada inspires us to stand up for our inherent rights and continues to demand better regulations in Aamjiwnaang for the land, the people, and for our future land and people.

Ada has always been a fierce advocate and resilient voice. She asks for individuals to continue to support her, to hear her voice and story, and to understand the issues of Canada's Chemical Valley. Let us continue to honour the incredible, resilient community of Aamjiwnaang and their fight for better environmental regulations facing some of the world’s biggest oil companies.

Artwork by: Mo Thunder