By Derek Cornet

Transport Canada denies responsibility for airport groundwater contamination

Jun 14, 2018 | 12:00 PM

The Town of La Ronge is seeking legal advice after Transport Canada sent a letter denying any responsibility for contamination at the airport.

“Just because Transport Canada doesn’t admit to any liability, doesn’t mean that’s the fact,” Town Administrator Stephen Conway said. “There is a historical liability component. If Transport Canada is stating they don’t have any liability, then … why did they go in there in the first instance and start drilling at the airport site to determine if there’s contaminates?”

Staff and visitors at the airport were advised by town officials to stop drinking tap water at the facility roughly six months ago after tests came back positive for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). In testing, animals exposed to PFAS experienced negative health effects including liver and neurological damage, though there is little information on how human health is affected by the contaminant.

When Transport Canada transferred to the La Ronge Airport to the town in 1998, Conway said the federal department did an environmental assessment which didn’t show any traces of PFAS. He noted, however, it wasn’t determined to be a hazardous material at the time. Conway said the town has since discovered contamination at the site and Transport Canada is responsible for it.

“We’ve gone to a lawyer for those points and it’s in their hands,” he said.

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In a statement emailed to larongeNOW, Transport Canada said the airport was contacted for permission to take water samples as a precautionary measure only, and noted all results have been shared. Transport Canada also stated research is ongoing to better understand the impact of the contaminate, and said the organization takes the health of Canadians and the environment seriously.

“The environmental condition of La Ronge Airport, along with all on-site sampling and investigation activities, is the responsibility of the Town of La Ronge as the airport operator,” a Transport Canada spokesperson wrote. “It is up to the airport operator to determine their next steps. Transport Canada does not have the authority to obligate the airport operator to conduct any action.”
 
Transport Canada said the department will continue to work with the airport to determine whether there is potential for off-site contamination on nearby lands. Sampling of groundwater will occur this year to determine if the chemicals migrated off the property.

derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno