Transport Canada has been aware of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as forever chemicals, since the 1980s, according to documents obtained through an access-to-information request. PFAS, a group of thousands of chemicals, have been linked to various health issues including cancer, hypertension, fatty liver disease, and diabetes.
For years, Transport Canada, along with the Department of National Defence (DND) and the National Research Council of Canada, conducted firefighter training exercises at airports using aqueous film-forming foams containing PFAS. Although effective in fighting jet fuel fires, the use of these foams led to groundwater contamination with PFAS across Canada.
In Newfoundland, a proposed class-action lawsuit is being led by Alex Templeton from the McInnes Cooper law firm over the contamination of drinking water wells near airports. The lead plaintiffs, Eddie and Susan Sheerr, had their wells found to exceed Health Canada’s new drinking water guidelines for PFAS levels.
Templeton obtained Transport Canada documents through access-to-information requests, including a 1984 report highlighting the high toxicity of effluent at firefighter training sites. The reports also revealed concerns about the outdated standards set in 1979 for containing effluent and addressing environmental impacts.
In response to the concerns raised, Transport Canada stated that firefighting activities were conducted in accordance with policies at the time and that the consolidation of training at larger airports reduced the number of training sites. However, Templeton argued that the reports contradicted Transport Canada’s claim of unawareness regarding the environmental impacts of PFAS.
The issue extends to North Bay, where a clean-up effort is underway to remove PFAS from the drinking water. The proposed class-action lawsuit in North Bay alleges that DND was aware of PFAS contamination in groundwater near the airport but did not take sufficient action. Residents like Liza Vandermeer expressed frustration over the lack of communication and follow-up on the identified concerns dating back to the 1980s.