Transport Canada has had concerns about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly referred to as forever chemicals, since the 1980s, according to documents obtained through an access-to-information request. PFAS, which encompass thousands of chemicals, have been associated with various health issues including cancer, hypertension, fatty liver disease, and diabetes.
Over the years, Transport Canada, in collaboration with the Department of National Defence (DND) and the National Research Council of Canada, conducted firefighter training exercises at airports nationwide using aqueous film-forming foams containing PFAS. Despite being effective in combating jet fuel fires, the use of these foams led to groundwater contamination with PFAS at numerous sites across the country.
A class-action lawsuit is being led by Alex Templeton, a partner at the McInnes Cooper law firm in St. John’s, on behalf of Torbay, N.L., residents affected by contaminated drinking water wells near airports in Newfoundland. The lawsuit, spearheaded by homeowners Eddie and Susan Sheerr, requires certification by a judge to proceed.
Templeton obtained Transport Canada documents through access-to-information requests, including a 1984 report highlighting the high toxicity of effluent from firefighter training sites. The same report identified surfactants, now known as PFAS, as a major source of pollution in the effluent. Concerns over groundwater contamination from runoff at these training areas were also noted in a 1990 report.
Despite setting standards in 1979 to control effluent at these sites, Transport Canada faced criticism for outdated standards that did not address modern environmental concerns. The agency later consolidated training activities at larger airports nationwide to reduce the number of training sites. Transport Canada maintains that firefighting activities were conducted in line with policies and practices at the time, emphasizing that PFAS contamination was not known then.
The revelation of these reports has sparked fresh concerns in North Bay, where efforts are underway to clean up PFAS contamination at the airport and remove PFAS from the municipal drinking water. A proposed class-action lawsuit has been filed over PFAS contamination in North Bay, alleging that DND was aware of elevated PFAS levels in groundwater near the airport as far back as 2011.
Residents and experts alike are questioning why earlier warnings and concerns were not adequately addressed or communicated between relevant authorities. The ongoing legal actions underscore the long-standing environmental and health implications of PFAS contamination in Canada.
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