More than 2,400 Ontario schools and daycares exceeded the current federal guideline for lead in drinking water in the past two years, a joint investigation between Global News, The Toronto Star, the Ryerson School of Journalism and Concordia University’s Institute for Investigative Journalism has found.

The figure marks a 275 per cent jump from two years ago due to more frequent testing and tougher federal lead limits that reveal a dramatically larger problem than was previously known.

While Ontario’s lead threshold has been at 10 parts per billion (ppb) — and remains there as the province adapts to the new national guideline — the Health Canada level of five ppb announced earlier this year captures what experts agree is a level more reflective of the neurotoxin’s health risks.

Full Report

https://globalnews.ca/news/6107982/ontario-schools-daycares-lead-levels/

Source:

Credits: Faculty Supervisor: Charles Berret, University of British Columbia, Graduate School of Journalism

Institute for Investigative Journalism, Concordia University: Series Producer: Patti Sonntag Research Coordinator: Michael Wrobel; Project Coordinator: Colleen Kimmett; Investigative Reporting Fellow: Lauren Donnelly

Institutional Credits: University of British Columbia, Graduate School of Journalism

Produced by the Institute for Investigative Journalism, Concordia University

See the full list of Tainted Water series credits here:concordia.ca/watercredits.

While hundreds of thousands of Canadians may be drinking water with high levels of lead, Torontonians don't often worry about the water coming out of the tap at home. However, after a yearlong investigation, in partnership with the Ryerson School of Journalism, data shows we may need to think twice about the drinking water at our schools and daycares.