Invisible Threat

Exposure to deadly radon gas in Canadian homes continues to grow, according to a nationwide study conducted by University of Calgary researchers. Nearly 18 per cent of Canadian homes contain radon levels at or above Health Canada’s action guideline of 200 becquerels per cubic metre (Bq/m³) for the carcinogenic gas, according to the national study.

The number of homes in Elliot Lake affected by buried radioactive waste could top 100 — twice as many as previously thought.

Health Canada’s radon guideline is 200 Bq/m³ while the WHO’s is 100 Bq/m³. The regulator defends its policy while a chorus of experts and cancer patients say a change would save lives.

Reporter Masih Khalatbari discusses the IJB's recent investigation into the federal radon safety guideline and the impact it has on Canadians.

Three homeowners in Elliot Lake are taking the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) to Federal Court over its recent decision to not order the removal of alleged radioactive waste from their properties.

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) says homeowners are responsible for dealing with the toxic effects of waste rock from nearby uranium mines that was allegedly used as infill on their properties.

Recent testing at four houses in Elliot Lake reveal elevated levels of gamma radiation and concentrations of radon gas far exceeding safety guidelines. There could be up to 60 homes in the community currently on top of mine waste, documents allege.

Canadians with documented levels of elevated radon in their homes are ineligible for publicly funded lung cancer screening, which is only for heavy smokers.

Canada has some of the highest measured residential radon rates in the world, with an estimated new case of radon-induced lung cancer diagnosed each day in the hardest-hit provinces. One in five homes — 5,600 of the 30,000 tested nationwide — showed radon levels exceeding Health Canada’s guideline of 200 becquerels per cubic metre (Bq/m³), according to data gathered by researchers from the University of Calgary collaborating with this investigation.

While radon risks remain rarely discussed in most of Canada, some communities and public officials are taking unique steps to generate greater awareness and action.

Declan Keogh, the IJB's senior report, goes onto The Big Story podcast to discuss the findings of our investigation into deadly levels of radon gas found in Canadian homes.