Decade-long plan in place to test radon levels in Sask. Housing units

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With 18,000 Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC) units located across the province, the executive director of housing operations says testing for radon to keep residents safe is a priority.

That’s why each unit will be tested once over the next 10 years through a partnership between SHC, Lung Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Research Council. Testing will begin in larger centres like Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, North Battleford and Yorkton in the first three years of the initiative.

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“I would anticipate that we would be restarting it over again after the 10 years, after all of the units have been tested,” executive director Roger Parenteau said in an interview.

Radon would be mitigated in units with high levels and further testing would be done to ensure the measures are working, he added.

The first round of testing begins this month, and tenants will be notified through their housing authorities.

Pam Warkentin, executive director of the Canadian Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (CARST), said she is thrilled SHC and the province are taking radon seriously and protecting the occupants of the units.

“Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers and it is a significant contributor to lung cancer risk for anybody who is or has been a smoker,” she said in an interview.

“Because it is something that’s preventable, it’s really important for all people in Canada to test their home and their indoor space to make sure that they know and understand what their radon level is and that they reduce it if it’s high.”

Warkentin said because of uranium in the soil across the country, when homes are built airtight, soil gas enters the homes but doesn’t escape, creating elevated radon levels.

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“In a situation where somebody isn’t necessarily in control of the renovations of their home, it’s really up to the owners of the house,” she said. “For SHC to take leadership to make sure that they’re looking after the occupants in the houses, to test and also reduce if the levels are high, is a really clear message that they’re looking after the health of the people in the homes.”

According to Lung Canada, no action is required if a home’s radon level is less than 200 becquerels per cubic meter (Bq/m3), although even low levels of radon can be harmful. Lung Canada recommends repairing your home within the next two years if it has a radon level between 200 and 600 Bq/m3, and within one year if it has a radon level over 600 Bq/m3.

Warkentin said there are measures in place in the building code of newer homes to prevent elevated levels of radon.

“I think as the SHC tests and mitigates existing buildings, they’ll get a better understanding of how they can improve new homes as they’re building new houses as well,” she said.

According to Health Canada, while radon is present in every building in the country, Saskatchewan has some of the highest levels, alongside Manitoba, Yukon and New Brunswick.

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Warkentin stressed the importance of testing for radon and having a certified professional mitigation plan in order to reduce levels. She said testing kits can be ordered from the Take Action Radon website, and certified professionals can be found on the National Radon Proficiency Program website.

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