Information on asbestos
There are several minerals commonly known as asbestos. These minerals can be used to make products strong, long-lasting and fire-resistant.
Before 1990, the housing industry used asbestos in materials such as:
- shingles and felt for roofing
- exterior siding
- pipe and boiler covering
- compounds and cement
- wallboard
- vinyl floor tiles
- attic insulation
Materials containing asbestos were used in military housing from the 1950s until the material was removed from the Canadian market in the mid-to-late 1980s.
Asbestos fibres can cause health risks if disturbed during maintenance, renovation or demolition. There are no significant health risks if materials containing asbestos are inaccessible and undisturbed.
How we manage asbestos
If the asbestos-containing materials are in good condition and are enclosed or inaccessible, we manage them “in place”, except during the course of demolition or renovation or in other cases where the product must be handled, dealt with, disturbed or removed.
We've done a visual inspection of all housing units to identify the presence of asbestos insulation. We've sealed all joints and cracks around ventilation or lighting fixtures in ceilings next to attic spaces in units that contain asbestos insulation and labelled the attic hatches.
We notify occupants in advance of accepting a housing unit if there is asbestos in their unit.
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