Kanata residents are ringing alarm bells over mercury contamination at the former Kanata Golf and Country Club, an area that will soon be redeveloped for residential housing.
“It is documented – there is mercury contamination across this entire site,” said Kanata North Coun. Cathy Curry during a planning committee meeting on March 4.
“The city’s response was that ‘no, the city has not received or conducted a site-wide risk assessment addressing mercury contamination and mobilization across the full 175 acres.’ That’s a problem,” she said.
Residents and Curry want a full test to be done on the land before further development.
The golf club operated from 1968 until November, 2025, when it closed after a lengthy legal battle. The city had asked the courts to reject a redevelopment proposal for the area, arguing there was a legal agreement requiring the area to remain an open space. The courts ruled against the city, allowing ClubLink, Minto and Richcraft to proceed to build 1,480 housing units.
While many residents joined with Kanata’s Greenspace Protection Coalition to oppose the housing, their concerns now focus on the years of pesticide use on the course being unearthed and the potential health risks.
On Curry’s website, she says the beginning stages of development of the land, which started in February, happened “without the necessary soil quality data, and without addressing environmental conditions.”
Derek Moodie, director of planning services, said that discussions have been held to continue the soil testing, but they require coordination and participation from the developer and property owner to access for testing.
Moodie said any soil found that exceeds the risk level for mercury will be removed, and the developers will begin work on sections of the land that aren’t contaminated.
“The developer is doing additional testing as they are proceeding with their work in the areas where they are going to be doing excavation to ensure they know what they are dealing with in those areas,” said Moodie.
Marcia Wallace, the general manager of planning, development and building services, told the committee that the city’s medical officer of health doesn’t think he needs to get involved at this point.
According to a city report, “the maximum mercury levels identified in soil in the studies completed to date do not represent a risk when compared to the component values under the provincial site condition standards.” The report also notes there are conditions attached to the development.
“This includes conditions requiring the developer to submit plans for the site remediation and management of dust/sediment which will be reviewed by City technical staff and as an additional step, a qualified third-party engineering consultant retained by the City.”
Curry says the city could do more.
“If we have information about a danger, you have to exercise precaution, you have a duty of care, and you have to use a precautionary principle ahead of time,” said Curry, adding that residents feel this is not happening in this case.
“This highlights the challenges with municipalities. We don’t have the horsepower to do that kind of [soil testing] yet there could be a risk, and then the city is potentially liable.”
