Monfwi MLA Jane Weyallon Armstrong wants the NWT’s Department of Health and Social Services to investigate whether any environmental pollutants could be causing cancers in the Tłı̨chǫ region.
Speaking in the legislature on Tuesday, Weyallon Armstrong said figures provided by the department show that between 2011 and 2022 there was an average of 10 new cancer diagnoses a year in that region. Across the whole of the NWT, the territory reported an average of 164 invasive cancer diagnoses each year over the same period.
“Tłı̨chǫ residents have long-standing concerns about the historical mining activities, particularly at the former Rayrock uranium mine,” said Weyallon Armstrong.
“They question whether exposure to hazardous material and contamination of surrounding lands and waters may have contributed to cancer in their communities.”
She said similar concerns have been raised about the health effects of local landfills and improper waste disposal.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
“The GNWT should work with the Tłı̨chǫ Government to investigate these concerns, including potential environmental risks. Residents deserve reliable information about the health of their communities and a thorough investigation into the concerns they have raised for years,” said Weyallon Armstrong.
Taking questions from the MLA, health minister Denny Rodgers said he couldn’t speak to any existing assessments of links between historical mining operations and cancer rates in the region, but he noted water testing is conducted across the territory.
Rodgers committed to speaking with the NWT’s chief public health officer to see what information he could glean on the topic.
“[I’m] absolutely willing to sit down with the Tłı̨chǫ Government to assess this in any way that they feel is appropriate,” said Rodgers.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
In August, the Department of Health and Social Services released a report on cancer in the NWT between 2011 and 2022.
The report found that Indigenous people in the territory continue to have a higher cancer mortality rate, while overall cancer rates in the territory were similar to those in the rest of Canada.
The Rayrock uranium mine, located on traditional Tłı̨chǫ territory approximately 75 km northwest of Behchokǫ̀, was in operation between 1957 and 1959.
While the site initially underwent remediation in 1996, the federal government confirmed in 2017 that further cleanup efforts were required.
Active remediation of the site began in 2024 and is expected to take three years.
