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According To Health Canada: 

What is Radon?  

  • "Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from uranium in the ground that can get into your home undetected. You can’t see it, smell it or taste it." 

Radon is in your home

  • All homes contain some level of radon—the question is how much.

  • National surveys have found 7% of Canadian homes exceed the safety guidelines.

  • The only way to know your radon level is to test. The BC Centre for Disease Control recommends testing in all homes across British Columbia.

  • In enclosed spaces such as houses, radon can accumulate to high concentrations and, over time, pose a serious health risk.

  • In general, radon levels are highest in the lowest levels of a building, such as a basement.

​Radon causes "Lung Cancer"  

  • 16% of all lung cancers are radon-related, resulting in 3,000 lung cancer deaths in Canada each year.

  • It causes lung cancer in non-smokers.

  • ​People who smoke and are exposed to radon have an even higher risk of lung cancer.

  • The health risk from radon is long-term not immediate. The longer you are exposed to high levels of radon, the greater your risk.

 

​​White Paper: ​

Radon at HOMES/OFFICES: Protecting Community Health Through Testing, Awareness, and Mitigation

By Dr. Reza Afshari; MD, PhD, MPH, Senior Toxicologist (2025)   

Exposure to Radon Increases the risk of Lung Cancer in Canada 
Adopted from Chen J. Canadian lung cancer relative risk from radon exposure. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2013 May 8;10(5):1916-26.

In All Canadian Population

In Never-smokers Canadians 

Radon_Age_Relative_Risk_Lung_Cancer_Canada.png

Lifetime relative risk as a function of age when exposure ends, for exposures to radon concentrations of 50, 100, 200, and 400 Bq/m3.  

References 

  1. Health Canada. Radon – What you need to know (updated 2025): ~3,200 deaths/year; risk overview. Canada.ca
  2. Cross-Canada Survey of Radon Concentrations in Homes: 6.9% above guideline. Canada.ca
  3. Health Canada. Radon Action Guideline = 200 Bq/m³. Canada.ca
  4. Health Canada. Guide for Radon Measurements in Homes (2025). Canada.ca
  5. C-NRPP. Approved radon devices & testing basics. C-NRPP+1
  6. Health Canada. Reducing radon levels in your home: >80% reduction; install <1 day (typical). Canada.ca
  7. Health Canada. Radon Reduction Guide for Canadians: sub-slab depressurization is most effective. Canada.ca
  8. BC CDC. Radon in British Columbia: Interior/Northern regions often higher; test every home/building. BC Centre for Disease Control
  9. BC Lung Foundation. Radon in BC – awareness & action (incl. code updates, testing all homes). bclung.ca
  10. Cross-Canada Radon Survey (2024): estimated ~17.8% of Canadians now in buildings ≥200 Bq/m³ (emerging evidence; complements older 7% estimate). crosscanadaradon.ca+2evictradon.org+2
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