Built Environments

THEP uses the term ‘lead in paint’ when any level of lead is detected in paint.  This is because paint with lower lead levels than ‘lead-based paint’ can still be a risk to children when in poor condition such as peeling, flaking or chipping.   

THEP’s intent is to use the most stringent regulations available.  There is currently no known safe level of lead exposure.

The term ‘lead-based paint’ generally refers to paint produced before 1960 that contained higher levels of lead than newer paint.   Lead-based paint is defined in the US as paint containing more than 5000 parts per million (ppm) or 1 mg/cm2 of lead.      

In June 2024, THEP shifted its paint reporting reference point from the US Environmental Protection Agency lead-based paint standard to Canada’s Surface Coating Materials regulation^[1] for lead in paint. 

^[1] Surface Coating Materials Regulation, SOR/2016-193, Canada Consumer Product Safety Act. 2022-12-19.

Since 2010, paint sold in Canada containing more than 0.009% (90 ppm) lead must be labeled to indicate that it is not safe to use in areas accessible to children or pregnant women. When painting your home, make sure that the paint you use is lead-free.

THEP uses the term ‘lead in paint’ when any level of lead is detected in paint.  This is because paint with lower lead levels than ‘lead-based paint’ can still be a risk to children or pregnant women when in poor condition such as peeling, flaking or chipping.   

Lead in paint is in many pre-1990 homes in many communities. Lead in paint is only a risk when the paint is chipping, flaking, crushed or sanded into dust.

THEP provides information and education to property owners and families about lead in paint, in and around the home environment, with the goal to reduce children’s potential exposure.

Homeowners are responsible for managing identified sources of lead in paint if they choose to.

THEP support is via education (Visit thep.ca to view ‘how-to’ videos on removing exterior paint and keeping dust down while renovating). THEP also can provide lead-safe renovation supplies to keep the dust down while renovating.

If you are concerned that you or someone else in your home has been exposed to lead dust from renovations, talk to your family doctor for advice about potential exposure concerns.   HealthLink BC has information on lead based paint that we can email (or print and mail) to you if that is helpful.   For support in dispute resolution with your landlord, please contact the Residential Tenancy Board at: Residential Tenancies – Province of British Columbia  or toll free: 1-800-665-8779.  

THEP works with the community to provide information and education about lead in paint to reduce children’s potential exposure to lead. The program does not include removing lead in paint from homes.   The program does provide lead-safe renovation supplies for DIY renovations in the Trail area. We’ve put together videos you can use to learn more about safely removing paint containing lead from your home. Visit thep.ca for videos.

THEP is conducting paint testing on all properties identified for soil management in priority order. Properties that have received soil management in previous years should contact the community program office to be added to the list of properties to be tested.

Exterior paint on homes older than 1990 may contain lead. Sometimes leaving lead in paint alone is safer than removing it, as long as it is not chipping or within the reach of children. THEP’s soil assessment includes exterior paint testing for lead as of May 2023. Due to the high volume of requests, properties will be addressed in priority order.   If the paint is chipping or peeling, visit the Government of Canada’s home safety page for more resources.

If you must remove paint containing lead from your walls, this Government of Canada resource provides suggestions to be lead-safe. THEP also has DIY videos to reduce dust during renovations and they are accessed at thep.ca > Resources > Videos.

Sometimes it’s safest to leave paint undisturbed as long as it’s in good condition.

Paint that is peeling, flaking, chipping or regularly disturbed through normal wear-and-tear, such as paint on doors, windows, stairs, and railings, can expose you and your children to lead.

Whenever you disturb surfaces with lead in paint, you risk creating hazardous lead dust even if the old paint is covered with new paint. To reduce the chance of exposure to lead in paint, surfaces can be covered with new paint, vinyl wallpaper, wallboard, or paneling.

If you decide to remove paint you should follow lead-safe guidelines or hire an expert to do the job. To learn about lead-safe practices, view the ‘how-to’ videos in the resource section at thep.ca.

To the best of our knowledge, there is currently no requirement in B.C. or Canada to disclose paint testing results. However, situations where you may want to disclose paint testing results include:

• to tenants if the home is rented
• to buyers if the home is sold
• when disposing of materials containing lead-based paint

Families and caregivers of young children in pre-1990 homes should have paint tested to find out if there is a risk of lead exposure from paint in their home. There is currently no known safe level of lead exposure.

• Lead in paint can be a serious health hazard when it’s peeling, flaking, chipping, or within reach of children who may chew on it.
• Infants, children and pregnant women are at higher risk. Toddlers and children can ingest lead because of their frequent hand-to-mouth activity and tendency to mouth or chew objects. Children absorb and retain more lead into their bodies compared to adults. For pregnant women, even low levels of lead can affect the growth of the developing baby.

Home built before 1990 may have lead in paint. Paint that is peeling, flaking, chipping or painted surfaces disturbed through normal wear-and-tear such as doors, windows, stairs and railings, can expose you and your children to lead.

To reduce the risk of lead exposure for young children, THEP has added paint testing to existing services such as soil assessments and in-home visits for expectant families and families with children under three.

Homes older than 1990 may contain lead in paint, and homes older than 1960 are likely to contain lead in paint.

If you want to test your paint, there are simple test kits that can be purchased at your local hardware store, or you can send a paint chip to a certified lab for analysis.

To reduce the risk of lead exposure for young children, THEP has added paint testing to existing services such as soil testing and in-home visits for expectant families and families with children under three.

Please contact the Community Program Office at 1319 Bay Avenue or 250.368.3256 for information on the Lead Safe Renovation Program supports and information available to you.  

The Lead Safe Renovation Program applies to all pre-1990 homes anywhere in the Lower Columbia.

Resources are also available online.

Lead in drinking water is not considered a source of lead exposure in the City of Trail. Drinking water is tested regularly at the City’s two sources and confirmed to meet all the guidelines for Canadian drinking water quality for metals (including lead), chemicals and other potential risks to water quality. The City’s drinking water is believed to be at low risk of leaching lead from the distribution system. This is supported by water quality monitoring and testing at a number of locations throughout the city’s drinking water system. For more information, contact info@trail.ca.

If you have concerns about lead pipes in your home, you can have your water tested. Click this link for labs in B.C. approved by the Provincial Health Officer for drinking water.

HealthLinkBC provides additional information on lead in drinking water, including how you can protect yourself and family.
Finally, if you don’t know what kind of pipes you have, there is a helpful online tool to test whether you are likely to have lead water.