CBC.ca
A married father of three, the 43-year-old Bera is afraid of the contaminated soil found near his northeast Edmonton home and what it means for the health of his family. Bera's home overlooks a former Domtar wood treatment plant, which is now slated to become a new neighborhood. Remediation work on the former creosote plant was approved by Alberta Environment. Reports suggest that the area where Bera’s home stands was once used for the storage of raw untreated wood. Testing done in his backyard found dangerous concentrations of chemicals.
Bera says his children often struggle to breathe, and frequent hospital visits have left him wondering if the soil is making them sick. Soil testing also showed more than 180 samples from nearly 1,500 specimens had levels of toxins exceeding health guidelines. In the fall of 2022, remediation began on four parcels, including a city-owned greenbelt and the now-empty plant lands that are slated for infill development. The province said risk management and long-term monitoring plans, completed last year, will manage the risk of residual contamination and ensure polluted soil buried on site is not disturbed.