1. Regional Environmental Health Specialist
PRESENTATION TO THE NUNAVUT IMPACT REVIEW BOARD FOR THE WHALE TAIL PIT EXPANSION PROJECT
HEALTH CANADA
Presenter:
Paul Partridge
Regional Environmental Health Specialist
August 26-29, 2019
Baker Lake, Nunavut

2. The nature of Health Canada’s review and overall mandate
Outline
The nature of Health Canada’s review and overall mandate
Limitations of Health Canada’s Review
The focus of Health Canada’s review for WTPE:
Air quality health effects
Contamination of traditional foods 2

3. The Nature of Health Canada’s Review
Health Canada provides comments on:
The accuracy, scientific validity and completeness of conclusions concerning human health effects.
The suitability of actions that may be taken to help mitigate the health impacts of the project.
The appropriateness of proposed follow-up actions or programs to help reduce risks to human health.
Additional information on Health Canada’s mandate can be found at: canada/corporate/publications/health-canada-participation- environmental-assessments.html 3

4. Limitations to Health Canada’s Review
Health Canada does not:
Audit the Proponent’s modelling; therefore the department assumes that the modelling yields correct results.
Make any decisions or issue any licenses, permits or authorizations in relation to the project.
Provide comments on occupational health or on socio- economic impacts. 4

5. Health Canada’s Review of WTPE
Health Canada reviewed risk to human health in the following areas:
Air Quality
Potential contaminants in ambient air.
Traditional Foods
Potential contaminants in traditional foods.
Noise
Potential effects of noise.
Water Quality
Potential contamination of recreational and drinking water quality.
Health Canada considered comments from the Kivalliq Inuit Association, The Baker Lake Hunters and Trappers Organization, the Government of Nunavut, the communities, and others to inform the department’s review 5

6. Air Quality – Atmospheric Environment
Health Canada Recommendation 3.1-1
Air Quality – Atmospheric Environment
Health Canada examines risk to human health resulting from exposure to air pollutants using various tools, such as guidelines and standards.
Health Canada compares current air quality (prior to the project), to predicted future air quality conditions with the project and examines how these change may affect individuals or populations within the project area. 6

7. Air Quality – NO2 Health Effects
Health Canada Recommendation 3.1-1
Air Quality – NO2 Health Effects
The Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards (CAAQS) are intended to inform air quality management decision making with the goal to improve air quality
CAAQS have been established nationally for a number of key air pollutants, including: PM2.5, O3, NO2 and SO2.
In 2020 and 2025, CAAQS to address the risks from short-term and long-term exposure to NO2 come into effect. 7

8. Air Quality – NO2 Health Effects
Health Canada Recommendation 3.1-1
Air Quality – NO2 Health Effects
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a gas released primarily from combustion (fuel burning) activities.
Health Canada considers NO2 to be "non-threshold”, meaning that health effects may occur at any level of exposure.
Both short-term and long-term exposure to NO2 are associated with respiratory effects.
Those with a pre-existing respiratory condition (such as asthma) are more sensitive to the effects of NO2 and other air pollutants. 8

9. Air Quality – Monitoring NO2 Emissions
Health Canada Recommendation 3.1-1
Air Quality – Monitoring NO2 Emissions
NO2 concentrations are expected to increase with the proposed WTPE’s mining operations.
Predicted concentrations are also likely to exceed the 1-hour CAAQS for NO2.
Health Canada encourages the use of continuous monitoring of air contaminants when levels are close to or greater that than 1-hr CAAQS.

10. Air Quality – Monitoring NO2 Emissions
Health Canada Recommendation 3.1-1
Air Quality – Monitoring NO2 Emissions
The proposed expansion may increase the concentration of air pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide. Health Canada suggests the Board consider requiring the Proponent to add monitoring of these air pollutants to the Project plans and compare the results with existing Nunavut air quality standards and federal targets.

11. Health Canada Recommendation 3.1-2
Air Quality – Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and
Petroleum Hydrocarbons
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Petroleum Hydrocarbons (PHCs) are products of burning fuel.
PAHs and PHCs were not included as a potential contaminant by the proponent in the FEIS for the WTPE.

12. Health Canada Recommendation 3.1-2
Air Quality – Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and
Petroleum Hydrocarbons
Health Canada suggests the Proponent consider the possibility of contamination of air and surface water by fuel-like substances (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Petroleum Hydrocarbons). Alternatively, if the Proponent chooses to exclude examining and measuring these substances, it should provide additional justification.

13. Health Canada Recommendation 3.1-3
Air Quality - Iron
Regional environmental assessment effects from breathing iron are hard to separate from exposure to other chemicals.
The Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks has a health based standard of 4 µg m-3

14. Health Canada Recommendation 3.2-1
Traditional Foods
Traditional foods are considered to be foods sourced outside the commercial food chain, i.e., any food trapped, fished, hunted, harvested or grown for subsistence or medicinal use.
Project-related activities have the potential to increase concentrations of arsenic in fish in the Project area.
Uncertainty in the predicted concentration of arsenic (As) in fish could underestimate exposure to arsenic from eating fish. 14

15. Health Canada Recommendation 3.2-1
Traditional Foods
Health Canada recommends that the Board consider including monitoring for arsenic in environmental media, and for monitoring inorganic arsenic in fish from areas impacted by the project, depending on the expected use of the sites as a source for fish. 15

16. Thank you
Questions? 16