Africville and the Long Shadow of Environmental Racism in Canada
“Why is it so easy for these people to think like mountains and not be able to think like people of color?” — Anonymous reflection on the environmental movement
Environmental racism isn’t just a concept found in American cities or textbooks on inequality—it’s part of Canada’s history, too. One of the clearest and most painful examples is Africville, a Black community in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that was systematically marginalized, neglected, and ultimately destroyed under the weight of environmental and racial injustice.
A Community Targeted by Pollution
Africville’s story is a stark illustration of how environmental harm is often not accidental—it’s political. From the early 20th century onward, the community saw undesirable and polluting infrastructure built in or near its borders: incinerators, sewage disposal pits, and an infectious disease hospital, among others. These decisions were not random. They reflected broader patterns of discrimination and exclusion that marked Black communities as disposable.
Importantly, Africville wasn’t built on polluted land. It was settled on clean ground by Black Nova Scotians seeking safety, autonomy, and community. But over time, white political leaders made land-use decisions that transformed the area into an environmental dumping ground. As scholars L. Westra and P. S. Wenz argue, this challenges the notion that Black or low-income communities simply choose to live in polluted places because it’s affordable. In Africville’s case, pollution followed the people—not the other way around.
Defining Environmental Racism
The term “environmental racism” has generated debate in academic and policy circles. What qualifies as racism? What
counts as injustice? Yet, as researcher R. Holifield points out, the increasing number of documented cases leaves little doubt that some communities bear more environmental burdens than others.
In the U.S., environmental justice has become a recognized field, with scholars like D. Bullard and G. S. Johnson demonstrating how communities of color face higher environmental health risks at home, at work, and at play. In Canada, this recognition has been slower. As K. Okamoto notes, differences in political culture and geography have shaped how environmental justice is understood—and African Canadian communities like Africville have often been overlooked.
A Matter of Where You Live
Environmental racism isn’t just about toxic waste—it’s also about housing, access to services, and who gets a say in what gets built where. Urban scholar M. Buzzelli argues that the housing market functions as a “systemic sorter” of people, with poorer and racialized communities having fewer resources to resist the placement of hazardous industries in their backyards.
Buzzelli raises a critical question: Do disadvantaged communities move to polluted areas, or does pollution target communities who can’t afford to fight back? Africville’s experience makes the answer clear—systemic discrimination shaped the geography of pollution.
A Canadian Precedent with Global Relevance
Africville is one of the earliest documented cases of environmental racism in Canada. But its importance goes beyond the borders of Nova Scotia. It offers a vital historical perspective on how environmental injustices unfold—and how they often remain unacknowledged.
Recent scholarship by A. Gosine, A.-M. Debbane, C. Teelucksingh, and L. A. Fryzuk builds on the lessons of Africville, showing how race, class, and geography continue to determine who benefits from environmental progress and who pays the price.
Remembering Africville, Confronting Injustice
To understand environmental justice in Canada, we must begin with Africville. Its history teaches us that environmental harm is not evenly distributed—it follows the lines of race, class, and power. Recognizing this is the first step toward ensuring that no community is treated as expendable in the name of progress.
