Health study urged for Sarnia’s Chemical Valley

Achorus of outraged Ontarians — ranging from to the province’s environment watchdog to the First Nations community living in the shadows of industrial smokestacks — called for a health study Sunday in the aftermath of an investigation revealing a pattern of potentially dangerous leaks in Sarnia’s Chemical Valley.

Ontario environmental commissioner Dianne Saxe said the situation in the area, home to Canada’s highest concentration of petrochemical plants, is “shameful.”

“It is clear to me that this situation is outrageous and it needs immediate attention,” Saxe said, adding that there needs to be better air monitoring by industry and the province.

“First Nations communities disproportionately bear the burden of pollution across Ontario and that needs to change.”

The joint investigation — carried out by the Star, Global News, the National Observer and journalism schools at Ryerson and Concordia — raised questions about whether companies and the provincial government are properly warning residents of Sarnia and the nearby Aamjiwnaang First Nation when chemicals — including benzene, known to cause cancer at high levels of long-term exposure — are leaked.

“This situation is outrageous and it needs immediate attention.” DIANNE SAXE ONTARIO ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER

Though benzene levels in Sarnia have dropped significantly in the past 25 years, documents obtained by the investigation revealed how refineries in the area release three to 10 times the annual limit of the carcinogen.

Despite a decade of pleas from residents and local politicians for a health study examining the effects on those who live near the 57 polluters registered with the Canadian and U.S. governments within 25 kilometres of Sarnia, provincial and federal governments have never agreed to fund one. Existing research on cancer rates in the area is inconclusive, though critics say the data col- lected at the county level misses the impact on people in the immediate vicinity of Chemical Valley.

“The No. 1 issue is large number of industry living in close proximity to homes. That is the result of historic zoning decisions,” Saxe said. “There are systemic problems with the way the government is regulating pollutants from not only this industry but from across Ontario and we will be writing about that.”

Aamjiwnaang Chief Joanne Rogers said the results of the investigation were “sad” and “emotional” for her community, and her council will be gathering this week to discuss next steps.

“What really is concerning to me is the number of our community

“There are systemic problems with the way the government is regulating pollutants.” DIANNE SAXE ONTARIO ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER

members who we have lost because of cancer and respiratory illnesses,” Rogers said. “When we lose members here, it’s because of their illnesses that are caused by the air pollution, in my opinion.”

The MPP for the Sarnia area, Bob Bailey, said the investigation exposed the “failure” of the Liberal provincial government to fund the health study he’s been requesting for nearly a de- cade. “It was quite shocking,” he said.

However, Bailey, who worked in Sarnia’s petrochemical industry for 30 years before entering politics, said he thought the study would prove the system is working.

“I feel quite confidently . . . that there will be found that there isn’t an issue, but we need that study.”

Ontario NDP environment critic Peter Tabuns also joined calls for the study, saying he thinks the provincial Ministry of the Environment needs to act swiftly.

“If you’re getting benzene releases like that . . . and there’s no followup, no one goes out and actually inspects to see what’s going on, that seems to indicate to me that either they don’t care — which I don’t think is the case with the Ministry of the Environment staff,” he said.

“I can only think that they don’t have the resources.”

The Ontario Liberal government didn’t provide comment by deadline Sunday. However, provincial Environment Minister Chris Ballard previously said he’d be “happy looking at” funding for a health study.

However, provincial Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown said Premier Kathleen Wynne’s government is “asleep at the switch.”

“Looking into it’s not going to cut it anymore,” Brown said.

“The time is now for action. No more time for delay.” With files from Carolyn Jarvis, Global News