Claire McAuley

Senior Scientist

Calgary

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Phone: +1 403-237-0275
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Claire McAuley is a Senior Scientist with Intrinsik Corp.  She has over 35 years of experience spanning project management, risk assessment and environmental engineering. Claire leads biomonitoring and human health risk assessment (HHRA) projects for First Nations, and both government and private sector clients.

Claire has completed numerous traditional food quality studies with First Nations, specific to contaminants and food, water and vegetation quality and has provided technical reviews on a variety of environmental and risk assessment projects including analytical programs specific to environmental contaminants.

Claire works on risk communication projects including the implications of resource development on traditional food security.  She has been integral in providing community and stakeholder consultation for the communication of project results and has facilitated the involvement of First Nations clients in the decision-making process for environmental issues associated with industrial developments.

Claire has completed work across Canada including in all three Territories. She is currently an appointed member of the Research Ethics Board at the University of Alberta.

Experience Highlights

• Experienced risk communicator with extensive stakeholder interactions including with Indigenous governmental organizations, Federal, Provincial and Territorial authorities, non-governmental organizations and the general public.
• Delivered training courses on Traditional Food Quality Studies and their integration into Environmental Assessment to both Federal and Provincial Health Departments.
• Conducts peer-reviews for Traditional Food Studies and risk assessments for First Nations, industry and private sector clients, including advising First Nations throughout the Environmental Impact Assessment Process regarding mitigation measures to protect traditional food quality.
• Co-recipient, with a number of First Nations across Canada, of funding under Health Canada’s National and Regional First Nations Environmental Contaminant Programs (2009 – 2026) for the completion of traditional food (game, fish and plants) and environmental quality studies. (Claire McAuley – FNECP Search Results)
• Co-recipient, with First Nations in Alberta, of funding under Health Canada’s First Nations Baseline Assessment Program on Health and the Environment (2024-2026).
• Co-recipient, with various BC First Nations, of funding from the BC First Nations Health Authority Environmental Contaminants Program to investigate marine mammal tissue quality (2018 and 2025).
• Project Manager for Traditional Food Quality Studies (2005, 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2022) for the Chipewyan Prairie Déné First Nation (CPDFN).
• Project and Technical Manager (2005-2023) for the multi-disciplinary Genesee-Wabamun Biomonitoring Project on behalf of TransAlta and Capital Power.
• Worked for 15 years in the oil and gas, and waste management industries in a regulatory and environmental advisory role and started her career as a production engineer.
• Guest lecturer on risk assessment and biomonitoring to students at the University of Alberta and University of Waterloo

Associated Publications

• Exploring the use of the RISK21 approach for Indigenous community-based human health risk assessments: two case studies
• Lead exposure through consumption of small game harvested using lead-based ammunition and the corresponding health risks to First Nations in Alberta, Canada
• Cadmium Tissue Concentrations in Kidney, Liver and Muscle in Moose (Alces alces) From First Nations Communities in Northern Alberta
• Whole fish vs. fish fillet—The risk implications for First Nation subsistence consumers
• Assessment of Exposure to Chlorinated Organics through the Ingestion of Moose Meat for a Canadian First Nation Community

• Impacts of traditional food consumption advisories: Compliance, changes in diet and loss of confidence in traditional foods

• Improving Risk Assessment Calculations for Traditional Foods Through Collaborative Research with First Nations Communities

• Towards meaningful stakeholder comprehension of sour gas facility risk assessments

Education

• M.Sc., Medical Sciences (Public Health Sciences), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
• M.Eng., Environmental Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
• B.A.Sc., Chemical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia

Professional Affiliations

• The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientist of Alberta (APEGA)
• Member – University of Alberta Research Ethics Board