High lead levels at Yellowknife schools were first detected months before parents were notified

CBC News

· Posted: May 29, 2025 11:12 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 minutes ago

High pb levels astatine 2 Yellowknife schools were archetypal detected months earlier parents and unit were notified of the issue.

In an email, the N.W.T. Department of Education, Culture and Employment said it received its archetypal trial results for h2o at École William McDonald Middle School and Range Lake North School connected Jan. 22. The results were confirmed connected April 4.

"Parents were informed erstwhile capable accusation had been gathered to supply a wide and close update. That said, further investigating is inactive required to corroborate existent hazard level wrong those locations," the section stated.

Parents and unit astatine the 2 schools were notified by Yellowknife Education District No. 1 of the contented connected Monday.

Lead levels successful École William McDonald's drinking h2o were detected astatine 0.00903 milligrams per litre, portion Range Lake School's levels were 0.025 milligrams per litre. Canada's drinking h2o guidelines authorities the maximum acceptable level is 0.005 milligrams per litre. 

Both schools are present undergoing "system-wide" testing, said Education Minister Caitlin Cleveland successful a connection Wednesday night, and a third-party reappraisal volition beryllium done of the situation.

In that statement, Cleveland said she is "deeply concerned" astir the pb levels, which she said she archetypal recovered retired astir Monday evening.

"I instrumentality this concern highly seriously," she stated.

While she did not perpetrate to making the reappraisal itself public, she said she would study publically connected what is learned done that reappraisal and however the section volition respond.

"While I won't pre-judge the result of that review, I privation to beryllium clear: this concern is unacceptable. Parents merit bid of mind, and students and unit merit harmless learning environments. I volition bash everything indispensable to assistance reconstruct that trust," she wrote.

The territory's main nationalist wellness serviceman was not made disposable for an interview. In an email, the Department of Health and Social Services besides refused interviews, stating Cleveland's section was "taking the lead" connected responses to media.

The acquisition section did not marque idiosyncratic disposable for an interrogation Tuesday oregon Wednesday.

In an emailed effect to questions from CBC, the section said astir each the territory's schools person either had oregon are having investigating being done, with the objection of Įtłʼǫ̀ School successful Yellowknife, Chief Albert Wright School successful Tulit'a and Chief T'Selehye School successful Fort Good Hope.

Those 3 schools are not being tested due to the fact that they are newer buildings and operation standards changed earlier they were built.

The section said it initially decided to trial for pb aft "increased nationalist attraction to the issue," and peculiarly media sum of testing successful the Yukon being delayed.