Section of Rideau Canal contaminated but deemed low risk to human health

Parks Canada coming up with soil remediation plan

Recent sediment testing of the Rideau Canal shows part of the downtown waterway is contaminated, but Parks Canada assures the findings pose a “low risk” to human health.

The section of the canal from the Ottawa Locks to Bronson Street is now listed on the Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory after some heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons trapped in the sediment at the bottom showed concentrations higher than federal and provincial guidelines. Parks Canada said the results were not unusual in such waterways, and this stretch of the canal — in the middle of a major urban area — has a long history of industrial use.

“(This) portion of the canal was a commercial and industrial waterway for nearly two centuries and is in the middle of a heavily populated urban area. Like many canals of this type, there is a legacy of pollution associated with past use and its location,” Parks Canada spokeswoman Audrey Champagne said.

“Parks Canada adheres to strict standards of environmental protection and will continue to offer safe and meaningful experiences to visitors along the entire length of the Rideau Canal — whether that be boating during the navigation season or enjoying the NCC’s pathways and skateway during the rest of the year.”

Parks Canada will work with the Treasury Board and other partners, including the City of Ottawa and the National Capital Commission, to come up with a soil remediation plan.

Like many canals of this type, there is a legacy of pollution associated with past use and its location.