INUVIK
The GNWT won't follow the federal government's lead in publicly disclosing a list of buildings it owns or leases containing asbestos, which can cause cancer when inhaled.

Materials containing asbestos can be classified in two categories: friable or non-friable. Friable is easier to crumble, increasing the risk of exposure, while non-friable is more durable because it's often mixed into cement, vinyl or asphalt.

In September, a lone federal department posted a list of hundreds of buildings it owns or leases across the country that have asbestos, including the RCMP office in Yellowknife and Fort Simpson post office.

Assume asbestos is there

As an employer, the territorial government is required to keep a list of buildings it owns or leases containing the most dangerous form of asbestos.

Northern News Services inquired about obtaining a copy of the list several months ago. After weeks of delay, Department of Public Works and Services spokesperson Joe Fitzgerald stated the department would not publicly release the information.

Public Works maintains most GNWT buildings, though not all of those operated by school boards and health authorities.

The department's position is to assume any building, no matter when it was built, may contain the material.

The department requires an environmental assessment of certain parts of buildings, even relatively new ones, be completed before renovation or demolition work begins. It's a step meant to address the potential risk of exposure to asbestos-containing materials.

"While we have inventories of friable asbestos and management plans for GNWT public buildings operated and maintained by Public Works and Services, we maintain it would not be best practice to simply rely on lists of buildings with known friable asbestos-containing materials for the purposes of worker safety, particularly during renovations," Fitzgerald stated in an e-mail last month.

So far, Saskatchewan is the only province with a public registry of buildings that contain asbestos.

Northwest Territories chief public health officer Dr. André Corriveau said it would be useful to make the information publicly available.

"I don't see why it couldn't be (made public)," he said in an interview last month. "It would be good for firefighters, for example, to know ahead of time if they're going to a building ... I think it would be useful information to have available fairly easily."

The GNWT's decision to withhold the information comes as federal departments make an effort to increase awareness of asbestos.

The federal government last month responded to mounting pressure from unions and health organizations by announcing it will ban use of the material, among other steps.

Asbestos, a group of naturally occurring minerals, has been used in various building materials like insulation, fire retardant and brake pads because of its strength, according to the World Health Organization. It was mined in Quebec up until 2011. Numerous other countries have banned its use.

Asbestos exposure, which happens when a person inhales the fibres, is reported to be the largest workplace killer in Canada.

"We've known for a long time that it causes serious health issues," Corriveau said. "There's no safe level of exposure, the risk goes up as you get more exposed."

Exposure can cause cancer of the lung, larynx and ovaries, as well as mesothelioma, an aggressive form of cancer that primarily develops in the lungs or lining of the stomach.

Two people in the territory have died between Jan. 1, 2012 and Dec. 14 of last year due to illnesses linked to asbestos exposure from decades ago, according to the Workers' Safety Compensation Commission (WSCC).

There were 27 asbestos-related claims filed by workers exposed to the carcinogen on the job over that same time period, with 20 of those originating in Yellowknife.

Of the 27 claims, the WSCC indicates 25 were filed as a precaution after workers were exposed but did not show signs of illness. Asbestos-related illnesses can take up to 15 to 55 years to develop.

Two of the 27 claims were from people with lung disease where asbestos was determined to be at least partly responsible for the illness.

Federal action

As well as the federal ban on manufacture, use, import and export of asbestos announced Dec. 15, Ottawa plans to work with provinces and territories to change building codes to prohibit the use of asbestos in new construction and renovation projects.

A representative of the NWT and Nunavut Construction Association declined an interview last month on the planned changes until more information is known.

The territory doesn't have a clean record when it comes to asbestos. The GNWT pleaded guilty last year to a charge of failing to take the proper steps to ensure workers weren't exposed to asbestos when carrying out renovations in the boiler room at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre in Yellowknife in 2012.

The territory was called "negligent" by Territorial Court Judge Robert Gorin when he imposed a $115,000 fine.

The judge said the government must be held to a higher standard when it comes to workplace safety in order to set a strong example for the private sector.