Roughly one in five residential buildings in Canada has high radon levels — a figure that’s more than doubled since the late 2000s — while radon-induced lung cancer kills an estimated 3,200 people each year, federal figures show.

Radon is found all over British Columbia, although the Interior region generally has a much higher proportion of homes showing radon levels exceeding the material latent defect threshold of 200 BQ/m3 than coastal regions.

For the Lower Mainland, the BC Centre for Disease Control’s 2021 map estimates 3% of homes have radon levels exceeding 200 BQ/m3 and requiring remediation.

Note that radon levels can vary from house to house, due to factors including how the foundation was built, the type and source of certain construction material, and how much ventilation there is in the house. There is no area of the province that is radon-free and the BCCDC recommends people test everywhere.

This radioactive gas is released from the ground and flows into buildings across the country, but scientists say modern designs and renovations likely play a role in why more Canadians are being exposed in their own homes.

Experts say the only way to know if your home contains a high amount of radon is to test for it.

The process is simple: You can either hire a radon measurement professional or buy your own test kit. (Some communities provide free radon monitors through libraries or local public health units. You can find out more information through the federal Take Action on Radon program.)

Full CBC article click below:

‘Millions of Canadian homes have high levels of cancer-causing radon.  Is yours one of them?‘