TORONTO, April 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As Ontario moves to speed up housing construction by cutting red tape, Lung Health Foundation (LHF) is urging the province not to remove a simple, proven safeguard already built into the system: radon mitigation measures. Canada’s largest charity dedicated to lung health says these requirements protect families from a leading cause of lung cancer and can remain in place without adding cost or slowing development.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can exist at high, cancer-causing levels indoors, particularly in newer, more tightly sealed homes. It is invisible and odourless, and multi-month testing is the only way to detect it. According to Health Canada, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in Canada, and action is recommended when indoor levels exceed 200 Bq/m³.
Prevention is the practical choice
“Stripping out radon mitigation measures won’t speed up construction. It will just lock in avoidable health risks for years to come,” says Dr. Vaibhav Gupta, MD, PhD, FRCSC, Medical Oncologist and Chief Medical Advisor for Lung Health Foundation. “That’s a trade-off we don’t need to make.”
Ontario’s current building code requires new single-family homes to be built “mitigation-ready,” including rough-ins that allow an active radon system to be more easily installed if high levels are found. This approach reflects a key reality: radon levels can only be confirmed after a home is occupied.
A widespread and under-recognized risk
The case for maintaining these measures is clear. Data from the 2024 Cross-Canada Survey of Radon Exposure in the Residential Buildings of Urban and Rural Communities shows that one in eight Ontario homes has radon levels at or above the national guideline, with even higher concentrations in some regions, including Ottawa-Gatineau, Kingston, Thunder Bay, and more.
The cost of pro-actively addressing radon during construction is modest and gives homeowners and landlords a shortcut to installing mitigation systems to vent the cancer-causing gas if high levels are found. By contrast, treating lung cancer places a significant burden on both families and the healthcare system, with costs reaching many tens of thousands of dollars in the first year alone.
“We can either build in protection now or pay for the consequences later. Keeping these measures in place is the smarter, more innovative, and more responsible choice,” says Dr. Gupta.
Why these measures should remain
- Radon is present in homes across Ontario, not just in isolated high-risk areas
- One in eight homes exceeds the national guideline, often without occupants knowing
- Rural Ontarian community homes are at even greater risk of high radon, while people in these homes experience systematic barriers to healthcare access
- Mitigation-ready construction makes future fixes simpler and more affordable
- Comparable radon levels in Ontario and Quebec point to a broader regional issue tied to geological, housing, and human behavioural patterns
Lung Health Foundation is calling for the province of Ontario to maintain existing radon protections while supporting the province’s housing goals. The organization says it is committed to working with government, builders and other stakeholders to ensure new homes are both efficient to build and safe to live in.
According to Dr. Aaron Goodarzi, LHF Radon Advisor and Scientific Director of the Evict Radon National Study, “Radon is considered the most preventable cause of the most prevalent and lethal cancer type in Canada today. System-wide action taken to address radon though building interventions is one of the most impactful things we can do to solve this health crisis.”
Dr. Jessica Moffatt, Vice President, Programs & Public Affairs at Lung Health Foundation, notes that strong scientific evidence links radon exposure to lung cancer, including among non-smokers. “This is a well-established risk, which is why it’s important that radon mitigation measures remain part of Ontario’s building code.”
About Lung Health Foundation
The Lung Health Foundation, formerly the Ontario Lung Association, has been working to improve the lung health of Canadians for more than 100 years. As the national leader in lung health, the organization supports and empowers individuals living with lung disease through community programs, research, education, and advocacy. Its work helps build a healthier future for Canadians affected by lung conditions and their caregivers.
Follow LHF on social media: Instagram: @lunghealthfoundation; Facebook: lunghealthfoundation; X (formerly Twitter): @LungHealthFdn.
For further information or to arrange interviews:
CONTACT:
Rob Bailey
Email: rbailey@brandstandpr.com
Phone: 201-819-1134
Margo Rapport
Email: margo@margorapport.com
Phone: 416-895-5672
