PHCHCC - Health Canada Says

PORT HOPE - Late Wednesday afternoon, federal health officials told Port Hope’s mayor there are no health concerns regarding uranium levels in local residents reported by a citizen-based health concerns committee earlier this week.

On Nov. 14, Port Hope Mayor Linda Thompson said Health Canada representatives advised the municipality the levels of uranium contamination reported in the Port Hope Community Health Concerns Committee (PHCHCC) ‘Radio-Biological Study Findings for Port Hope’ released at a Toronto press conference Nov. 13 do not represent a concern to health. At the press conference, the PHCHCC released urine sample test results that pointed to the presence of radioactive contamination in a small group (nine) of Port Hope residents. The summary report, put together by the Toronto-based Uranium Medical Research Centre (UMRC), stated chronic, long-term uranium contamination was found in the bodies of three Port Hope residents, former nuclear industry workers.

Mayor Thompson said she was happy to hear Health Canada’s comments. However, she noted she is disappointed with the approach taken by the PHCHCC, releasing the report in Toronto as opposed to locally, with the municipality left out of the information loop. She said she is also disappointed that to date, Health Canada indicated the full study and related documentation has not been made available to any government levels, agencies or media outlets.

But the federal government’s response appears too little, too late for a Toronto-area couple who withdrew their offer on a Port Hope property after catching the national media splash about uranium contamination in local residents. As outsiders considering a move to the community, Denise Loader and Larry Davies were deeply concerned when they heard media reports about uranium found in the bodies of Port Hope residents. Ms. Loader said after much thought, the couple decided to not complete the purchase, a decision based solely on the information provided at a PHCHCC press conference.

At that time, Ms. Loader she also heard Port Hope is the site of the largest clean up of radioactive soil in North American history and that there is contamination under homes, schools, farm fields and the local harbour. Even if the PHCHCC test results turn out to be unsubstantiated, she noted, “of course, it fills a person with fear.”

Ms. Loader also questioned whether the stigma of an unsafe community will stick to Port Hope and substantially reduce the value of real estate investment.

“With today’s awareness of the dangers of radiation, one wonders how any level of government can allow a uranium processing plant to remain within a residential community,” she added.

The report release also made for an unusually busy morning at Port Hope’s Low Level Radioactive Waste Management Office (LLRWMO). In the first hour of business Nov. 14, the morning following the PHCHCC press conference, staff fielded four out-of-town phone inquiries with questions about the report findings and the ongoing LLRW clean-up in the community, said communications officer Sue Stickley.

“Four phone calls in one morning is a lot,” said Ms. Stickley. “People have definitely been watching the news.”

She added past health studies done by Health Canada note overall indicators show no elevation of cancer occurrences or mortalities in Port Hope compared to other southern Ontario towns.

Judy Selvig, Port Hope’s economic development director, and Port Hope’s tourism director Andrea Patterson both said there will obviously be some short-term negative perceptions about the community as a result of the press conference, which was picked up by national media outlets.