Radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer, so the Saskatchewan Housing Corportation and Lung Saskatchewan are teaming up to protect vulnerable people in the province.

Erin Kuan, President and CEO of Lung Saskatchewan says the new partnership will see 750 SHC housing units tested for radon every year for the next ten years.

The first round of testing begins this month in the largest housing authorities. This will last for three years and then expand to additional locations starting in 2028. The SHC will notify tenants when testing is about to take place in their building.

“Because it is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that comes from the natural breakdown of uranium, all homes have a level of radon. We are always encouraging people to test their homes to understand how much radon is present.”

If higher levels of radon levels are found in the units, remediation of the gas will be undertaken, which the tenant will not be responsible for organizing.

“The exciting thing about this is, not only is there a plan to test all these homes, but there is a plan to take steps to mitigate. If higher levels of radon are found, steps will be taken and there are resources in place to address that.”

Kuan adds that anyone can test for radon, and the cost to remediate it is similar to what it would cost to replace an air conditioner or other appliance.

She encourages people to visit home radon test.ca for more information.