Veterans and civilian employees at a Canadian Forces base in Moose Jaw say exposure to toxic chemicals may be linked to a surge in cancer, neurological disorders, and other serious health issues.
Leah Borts-Kuperman reports for The Narwhal.
In short:
- CFB Moose Jaw, a Canadian military base in Saskatchewan, is listed among thousands of federally contaminated sites, with polluted hangars, landfills, and buildings that house workers and their families.
- Chemicals found on site include PFAS, petroleum hydrocarbons like benzene and toluene, PAHs, and asbestos — all linked to health risks such as cancer, infertility, and neurological disorders.
- Employees report clusters of disease, including breast cancer, Parkinson’s, and rare disorders, and say their concerns have been met with denial or retaliation from the Department of National Defence.
Key quote:
“Because you sign on that dotted line, the expectation is you’re going to die for your country. Well, dying doesn’t mean I should get sick because of a chemical that [the government] didn’t clean up properly.”
— Erin Zimmerman, veteran and former civil servant
Why this matters:
Contamination from military bases isn’t confined to the fences that mark their borders. Chemicals like PFAS — known as “forever chemicals” — linger in soil and water, spreading through air, groundwater, and even into crops and wildlife. People who live and work near bases like CFB Moose Jaw may be unknowingly exposed for years, increasing their risk of serious illness. The problem is compounded by poor transparency and sluggish remediation, despite evidence linking exposure to cancer and other chronic conditions. With military installations occupying vast tracts of land across Canada and the U.S., what happens on base doesn’t stay on base.
Read more: Military bases struggle with pervasive PFAS contamination
