LOCATION: Airports across Canada (Owned & Operated, Transferred and National Airports System airports)
ISSUE/SOURCE: Media reporting and litigation on PFAS contamination at airport properties
DATE: May 2025
Suggested Responses
- Transport Canada takes its responsibilities related to human health and the environment seriously and is exercising due diligence by proactively sampling for the presence of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) at airport properties.
- The Government of Canada is taking precautionary measures to better understand the impacts of PFAS and to protect the health of Canadians and the environment. The department is working closely with Health Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada to improve research and manage PFAS.
- Sampling will increase our understanding of the contamination involved and the potential risks to human health and the environment.
IF PRESSED
Individual Sites
- Transport Canada’s response to PFAS sampling results for a specific site will be determined on a case-by-case basis and is based on the need to protect human health and the environment. Approaches could include re-sampling to confirm results and, or discussions with the airport operators, as appropriate, to determine next steps and any need for additional investigation.
- Where exceedances of Health Canada’s drinking water objective for PFAS are identified, Transport Canada is providing potable water and determining longer-term solutions.
IF PRESSED
Contamination in Torbay
- Transport Canada is working with the Provincial health authorities and will continue to support any impacted residents. Where exceedances of Health Canada’s drinking water objective for PFAS are identified, Transport Canada is providing potable water.
- Conditional on consent from homeowners, Transport Canada will pilot an in-home drinking water treatment system at selected locations in spring 2025. If the pilot program is successful, this in-home drinking water treatment system will replace bottled water in homes with exceedances of Health Canada’s drinking water objective for PFAS.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
- Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are part of a man-made chemical group, which have been used widely in a variety of consumer and industrial products, including in certain fire fighting foams.
- PFAS may have been used in fire training exercises as part of emergency response programs at a number of Canada’s airports. During the period that fire fighting foam containing PFAS was used, the environmental risks were not known.
- Since the mid '90s, Transport Canada (TC) has moved away from a role as the owner and operator of Canada’s airports. The majority of airports have been transferred outright to new owners. TC has retained ownership of the largest airports, but has transferred responsibility for operating them to private not-for-profit Airport Authorities through long-term ground leases. The department also retains ownership of 18 local and regional airports.
- TC therefore no longer has responsibility for the operation of the majority of airports where PFAS may have been used as part of fire fighting training.
- At the time that airports were transferred and ground leases were finalized, PFAS was not a known contaminant. Transport Canada is working closely with Environment and Climate Change Canada and Health Canada, who are the expert departments on the potential risks to the environment and human health.
- In December 2023, TC proactively implemented the use of Health Canada’s proposed PFAS Objective for drinking water which aims to reduce potential exposure. The Objective was finalized in August 2024 and will inform future drinking water guidelines to be put into place by Provinces and Territories. Transport Canada has acted in anticipation of these future drinking water guidelines and has expanded ongoing investigations. Where water testing indicates exceedances of the PFAS Objective, Transport Canada is proactively offering bottled water. Transport Canada is also investigating longer-term solutions to provide potable water to impacted residents.
- [ Redacted ]
- TC is leading investigations at TC owned and operated and National Airports System airports on-site to determine the nature and extent of PFAS contamination. Investigations are in various stages of completion at the majority of these airports. Should any human health or environmental risks be identified from the risk assessment at these airports, Transport Canada, as landowner, will take the necessary measures to minimize the risk or carry out the necessary remedial work. Transport Canada will develop a management plan where required - this may include restricting access or land use activities, or ongoing monitoring and assessment.
- Bottled water is currently being provided to properties in eight communities. To protect the privacy of individual residents, Transport Canada cannot disclose any specific water sampling results.
- TC is aware of the proposed lawsuit commenced by residents with PFAS impacted drinking water out of respect for the judicial process, TC will not discuss this matter publicly while it is before the courts.
- For the transferred airports, TC completed testing for PFAS at the property boundary of [ Redacted ] . TC has taken action on a case-by-case basis where drinking water wells were found immediately adjacent to the airport property boundary.
- Where responsibility for the contamination is accepted by the department, TC’s PFAS sites are identified on the public Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory.