Health committee  The way the building code works is that at a national level it's a model code. If it's adopted at the provincial level then it's enforceable. The large majority of the provinces and territories have adopted the codes related to radon. Several of them are now taking them and making them more stringent as they have more data available with regard to the risk of radon in their provinces and municipalities.

Health committee  There are two codes now. One is a sealing application, so it's a vapour barrier, basically, a very thick piece of plastic that goes under the concrete slab, and there's also a rough-in for a radon mitigation system. One of the most significant parts of installing a radon reduction system is having to core through that slab.

Health committee  According to the cross-Canada survey data that I mentioned earlier, it's estimated that across Canada 7% of homes have high levels of radon, but that varies quite significantly across the country. In Manitoba and New Brunswick, it was over 20%, but in every single province there were regions where 10% to 20% and in some places 40% to 50% of homes tested high.

Health committee  I can speak to what Health Canada has done there. We have gone to make a presentation about the revised guideline, and we follow up on a very regular basis. It is the intent to have the Canada Labour Code harmonized with our current Canadian guideline. It's just been delayed. The most recent information we have is that it's supposed to be updated by the winter of 2015-16.

Health committee  No.

Health committee  I think Kathy would like to respond there.

Health committee  We'd had the same guideline level since 1988. The original guideline was set based on available research on miners' exposure. It was only in the early 2000s that there was new pooled research that distinctly demonstrated that there was a risk at lower levels in a residential environment, and that research led to Health Canada and our federal-provincial-territorial committee reviewing the guideline and lowering the reference level to 200.

Health committee  Absolutely. We did some public opinion research comparing where we were at the beginning of the program in 2007 to where we were in 2013, and we've definitely seen an increase from about 50% to about 65% in the level of awareness, and a significant increase from 4% to 25% with regard to Canadians' awareness of where they can get detectors and how they can test their homes.

Health committee  We are already working with CMHC on the radon issue. Here is what is being done to remedy the problem. Canada Post has a program called smartmoves, or déménageur in French. Every time someone submits a change of address request, they receive an information kit on everything they need to think about when they move into a new home.

Health committee  Okay.

Health committee  Good afternoon. My name is Kelley Bush, and I am the head of radon education and awareness under Health Canada's national radon program. Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee, for inviting me to be here today to discuss radon as a cause of lung cancer and to highlight the work of the Canadian – National Radon Proficiency Program.