Moving towards the remediation of fifteen abandoned Mid-Canada Line Radar sites in Mushkegowuk Territory

In the 1950s, military radar stations were constructed across North America as a result of the cold war. Radar stations along the James and Hudson Bay, located within Mushkegowuk territory, were later abandoned but have not been properly decommissioned, resulting in the accumulation of PCBs, lead, asbestos, hydrocarbons, and pesticides such as DDT throughout the ecosystem and food chain. This is a point of serious concern for local First Nation communities.

Survey questionnaires were developed, after which interviews were conducted with members of the six First Nations communities within the Mushkegowuk territory. The purpose of the interviews was to gather information about the land, the food chain, traditional food consumption patterns and identify any concerns regarding water and soil contamination from the abandoned radar sites. Water, soil, and plant samples were then collected and analysed for total PCBs as well as fuel contaminants (total petroleum hydrocarbons or TPH). In addition, liver samples were collected from wildlife (beaver, sharp-tailed grouse, northern pike, whitefish, pickerel, muskrats, rabbits, snow geese, red foxes, caribou, greater yellowlegs, common snipe, short-tailed weasels, red squirrels, flying squirrels and martens) and analysed for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs).

The results of this study revealed the presence of contaminants at all sites tested. TPH levels found in medicinal plants at Site 050 in the Fort Albany area may represent a risk to human health and the health of the overall ecosystem as all samples were above or approaching the acceptable guideline limit. At site 500 Winisk, the extent of PCB contamination was greater than previously recognized with water, soil, and vegetation samples exceeding the PCB criteria. PCB concentrations in wildlife were generally found to be low at site 500 Winisk, though elevated levels were detected in shorebirds and red fox. Finally, Site 060 Relay showed the highest levels of PCB contamination in wildlife (short-tailed weasel, rabbit liver and sharp-tailed grouse), which could pose a human health concern. TPH contamination was also confirmed in the vegetation at this site. Based on these results, it was recommended that a human health risk assessment should be undertaken immediately.