Let’s start with something real: ever noticed how some neighborhoods have parks, clean streets, and trees, while others are right next to highways, factories, or landfills? That’s not random. It’s often the result of environmental racism, a system where racialized and marginalized communities are more likely to live in polluted, degraded environments. And it’s baked into the way our cities are built.

Environmental racism isn’t just about where people live, it’s about why those places look the way they do. And in Southern Ontario and beyond, urban planning plays a huge role in that.

What Is Environmental Racism, Really?

At its core, environmental racism is when people of colour, Indigenous communities, and low-income populations face disproportionate exposure to environmental hazards. It’s not always on purpose (though sometimes it is), but it is the result of long-term decisions about land use, housing, transportation, and infrastructure that often prioritize the needs of white and wealthy communities over others.

In simple terms: who gets the nice view, and who gets the smokestack?

A Brief Look at How It Happens in Cities

Let’s say a city is expanding. Planners and developers decide where to build new roads, allow factories, and place affordable housing. Historically, and still today, they tend to place “less desirable” developments, like highways, waste facilities, and industrial zones, near low-income or racialized communities. Why? Because the land costs less, and these communities often lack the political influence to fight back.

Furthermore, Once those developments go in, changing the landscape becomes incredibly difficult. If a neighbourhood already faces poor air quality, limited green space, and unsafe housing, how likely is it that city hall will prioritize a new park or clean up a toxic site? The cycle keeps repeating—and the community keeps paying the price.

Case in Point: The Canadian Context

This isn’t just an American issue, it’s happening right here in Canada.

Take Aamjiwnaang First Nation near Sarnia, Ontario. Residents live next to Chemical Valley, home to over 60 industrial facilities jammed into a small area. These plants release pollutants daily, and studies have linked the exposure to serious health effects, higher cancer rates, respiratory problems, and more. You don’t need a policy brief to see the pattern. This is environmental racism, clear as day.

Additionally, In cities like Toronto, many Black and brown communities end up in neighborhoods with fewer trees, more pavement, and heavy traffic from nearby highways. These same areas often lack reliable public transit, decent grocery stores, and quality healthcare facilities. Urban planners might call them “under-served,” but let’s be real—they’ve been overlooked for decades.

How Urban Planning Has a Role

Urban planning shapes more than roads and buildings, it shapes lives. And depending on how it’s done, it can either fix or deepen environmental injustice.

For decades, planning decisions focused on profit, efficiency, and cars over people. That mindset ignored marginalized communities and often pushed environmental hazards right into their backyards.

Here’s how it plays out:

Zoning laws place factories and highways next to low-income neighborhoods—because it’s cheaper and meets less resistance.
Transit deserts leave racialized and low-income folks with long commutes and fewer job options.
Green gentrification rolls in when cities build light rail or parks, but forget to protect renters from rising costs—so the same people who needed the upgrade get priced out.

Even well-meaning sustainability efforts can leave people behind when cities don’t center equity in their plans.

Environmental Justice

So, how do we start fixing this? That’s where environmental justice comes in. At its core, it’s the belief that everyone—regardless of race, income, or background—deserves the same level of protection from environmental harm, and the same access to clean, safe, and healthy places to live.

Urban planners, designers, and policy-makers have a major role to play in making that vision real. And the good news? Change is already happening in some places. Here’s what it can look like:

Community-led planning that gives residents real power to shape what gets built in their neighborhoods.
Equitable transit systems that actually serve people in underserved areas—not just those with the loudest voices.
Restorative zoning laws that stop new polluting industries from being dumped near vulnerable communities.
Green infrastructure like urban tree planting, community gardens, and clean-air corridors—focused where they’re needed most.

And let’s be honest: this isn’t just about fairness. It’s about healthier lives, stronger communities, and cities that can actually stand up to climate change. In short: it’s about survival.

What Can You Do?

If you care about the environment, you have to care about who is being affected, and how. Ask yourself:

Who lives near the worst pollution in your city?
Who has safe access to parks, clean water, and reliable transit?
Who gets to sit at the table and make the decisions, and who gets left out?

Whether you’re a student, a planner, a local leader, or just someone trying to make sense of their city, these are the questions that matter. Because environmental racism didn’t just happen, it was designed into our systems. Which means we can design it out, too.

Environmental racism is woven into how we’ve built our cities. It decides who gets to breathe clean air, and who doesn’t. But with bold, equity-focused urban planning, we can change that. We can build cities that are cleaner, fairer, and more livable for everyone, not just the lucky few.