Transport Canada has been aware of the risks associated with 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 liver and prostate cancer, pregnancy-induced hypertension, fatty liver disease, and disruption of lipid function associated with Type 2 diabetes.
Over the years, Transport Canada, along with the Department of National Defence and the National Research Council of Canada, utilized aqueous film-forming foams containing PFAS for firefighter training exercises at airports nationwide to combat jet fuel fires. However, this practice led to groundwater contamination with PFAS at multiple airport sites across the country.
In response to the contamination of drinking water wells near airports in Newfoundland, lawyer Alex Templeton of McInnes Cooper is leading a proposed class-action lawsuit. The lead plaintiffs, Eddie and Susan Sheerr, had their wells tested and found to exceed Health Canada’s recommended limit for PFAS concentration. Transport Canada managed the training exercises near Torbay and Logy Bay–Middle Cove–Outer Cove, where the contaminated wells were located.
Templeton obtained Transport Canada documents, including a 1984 report highlighting the high toxicity of effluent from the training sites and the persistence of surfactants, identified as a major source of pollution. Despite setting effluent containment standards in 1979, documents revealed concerns about outdated standards by 1990 and their ineffectiveness in addressing winter conditions’ impact on run-off.
Transport Canada stated that firefighting activities followed policies and practices existing at the time and that PFAS contamination was not known then. However, Templeton disputed this, citing evidence from the 1984 and 1990 reports. The documents also sparked concerns in North Bay, where a significant clean-up effort is ongoing to address PFAS contamination in the drinking water.
A proposed class-action lawsuit in North Bay alleges that the Department of National Defence was aware of elevated PFAS levels in groundwater near the airport since 2011, exceeding Health Canada guidelines. Residents like Liza Vandermeer expressed frustration over the lack of communication and follow-up actions by authorities despite early identification of the PFAS concerns in the 1980s.
