Lead in people living in Canada
Learn about human biomonitoring of lead in Canada.
On this page
- About lead
- Data sources for lead biomonitoring
- Results of lead biomonitoring
- Related links
- How to cite this page
About lead
Lead is a metal that is naturally present in:
- rock
- soil
- sediment
- water
Lead enters the environment from natural sources and from industrial activities, such as smelters and refineries, which can be major sources of environmental contamination. Once in the environment, lead does not break down and can build up over time.
People in Canada are mainly exposed to lead through food and drinking water. Lead enters food mainly through uptake from soil. Some people may also be exposed by eating wild game contaminated with lead shot. Lead can enter drinking water if it is released from parts of distribution or plumbing systems. People who smoke are also exposed by breathing in cigarette smoke.
Infants are exposed to lead in formula when it is prepared with drinking water containing lead. As a result of normal hand-to-mouth behaviours, infants and children are also exposed to lead by swallowing:
- soil
- house dust
- paint chips (from older paint that contains lead)
Lead is absorbed in the body after exposure. Lead exposure is most often measured in a blood sample. Its presence in blood primarily reflects recent exposure.
Potential health effects of lead
Long-term exposure to low levels of lead can cause:
- heart disease
- reproductive problems
- reduced kidney function
- effects on the nervous system
No level of lead exposure is considered safe for brain development. During key periods of brain development in pregnancy and childhood, lead exposure can:
- lower cognitive function (IQ)
- increase the risk of attention-related behaviours
The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified lead compounds as probably carcinogenic (causing cancer) to humans.
Managing lead in the Canadian population
Lead is considered toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, due to concerns for human health and the environment.
As part of our national strategy, we work to manage levels of lead in the Canadian population by:
- banning leaded gasoline for on-road vehicles
- establishing a guideline for lead in drinking water
- publishing guidance on sampling and mitigation measures for controlling lead corrosion
- setting maximum levels for lead in certain foods sold to consumers
- limiting the amount of lead in a variety of consumer products, particularly those for children
- prohibiting lead and its compounds as ingredients in cosmetic products
- establishing limits on lead levels for various other products including cannabis, natural health products, prescription and non-prescription drugs
We continue to monitor and assess lead.
Data sources for lead biomonitoring
This page presents human biomonitoring data from the:
- Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS)
- First Nations Biomonitoring Initiative (FNBI)
- Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) study
- MIREC-Child Development study (MIREC-CD Plus)
- MIREC-Pubertal Timing, Endocrine and Metabolic Function study (MIREC-ENDO)
Data are also presented from studies focused on Indigenous and northern populations living in:
- the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Nunavut and Nunatsiavut
- Old Crow, Yukon
- Mackenzie Valley, Northwest Territories (NWT)
- Nunavik, Quebec
These studies are supported by the Northern Contaminants Program and data are included in Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme reports.
You can access more results for lead and other metals in the Canadian population through the Canadian biomonitoring dashboard.
Overview of biomonitoring initiatives for blood lead in Canada
| Initiative | Target population | Collection period | Age group (years) | Sample size (n) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHMS | General Canadian population living in the 10 provinces | 2007 to 2009 | 6 to 79 | 5319 |
| 2009 to 2019 | 3 to 79 | 4517 to 6070 | ||
| 2023 to 2024 | 1 to 79 | 4033 | ||
| FNBI | First Nation peoples living on reserve, south of 60o | 2011 | 20 and above | 473 |
| International Polar Year Inuit Health Survey (IPY IHS) | Inuit living in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR), Nunavut and Nunatsiavut | 2007 to 2008 | 18 and above | 280 (ISR), 1143 (Nunavut), 264 (Nunatsiavut) |
| Yukon Contaminant Biomonitoring (Yukon) | People living in Gwich'in community of Old Crow, Yukon | 2019 | 18 and above | 54 |
| Mackenzie Valley Project (NWT) | People living in First Nations and Métis communities in the Mackenzie Valley, NWT | 2016 to 2018 | 8 and above | 276 |
| Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 Nunavik Inuit Health Survey (Nunavik) | Inuit living in the region of Nunavik, Quebec | 2017 | 16 and above | 1245 |
| MIREC | Pregnant people living in 10 cities across Canada | 2008 to 2011 | 18 and above | 1938 (1st trimester), 1673 (3rd trimester) |
| MIREC-CD Plus | Children living in 6 cities across Canada | 2013 to 2015 | 3 to 5 | 479 |
| MIREC-ENDO | Children living in 8 cities across Canada | 2018 to 2021 | 8 to 11 | 224 |
We wish to acknowledge all participants, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, who took part in the biomonitoring studies.
Results of lead biomonitoring
Levels in the general Canadian population
From 2007 to 2024, average lead levels decreased by 45% in people aged 6 to 79.
Text description
| Collection period | Geometric mean level (μg/dL) | 95% confidence interval (μg/dL) |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 to 2009 | 1.3 | 1.2–1.4 |
| 2009 to 2011 | 1.2 | 1.1–1.3 |
| 2012 to 2013 | 1.1 | 1.0–1.2 |
| 2014 to 2015 | 0.96 | 0.91–1.0 |
| 2016 to 2017 | 0.90 | 0.84–0.97 |
| 2018 to 2019 | 0.82 | 0.78–0.87 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 0.73 | 0.69–0.78 |
Levels in the general Canadian population, by age group
Adults had higher average lead levels than children and adolescents.
Text description
| Collection period | Age group (years) | Geometric mean level (μg/dL) | 95% confidence interval (μg/dL) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 to 2024 | 1 to 2 | 0.47 | 0.41–0.53 |
| 3 to 5 | 0.47 | 0.43–0.52 | |
| 6 to 11 | 0.44 | 0.42–0.48 | |
| 12 to 19 | 0.40 | 0.35–0.46 | |
| 20 to 39 | 0.67 | 0.61–0.73 | |
| 40 to 59 | 0.81 | 0.75–0.87 | |
| 60 to 79 | 1.1 | 0.98–1.1 |
Levels in the general Canadian population, by sex at birth
Males had higher average lead levels than females.
Text description
| Collection period | Sex at birth | Geometric mean level (μg/dL) | 95% confidence interval (μg/dL) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 to 2024 | Females | 0.66 | 0.62–0.71 |
| Males | 0.78 | 0.72–0.84 |
Levels in the First Nations on-reserve population in Canada
Average lead levels were similar between the First Nations on-reserve population and the general population.
Text description
| Collection period | Study | Age group (years) | Geometric mean level (μg/dL) | 95% confidence interval (μg/dL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 to 2011 | CHMS | 20 to 79 | 1.3 | 1.2–1.4 |
| 2011 | FNBI | 20 to 79 | 1.2 | 1.1–1.3 |
Levels in Indigenous and northern populations in the Canadian Arctic and Subarctic
Inuit populations in the ISR, Nunavut and Nunatsiavut had higher average lead levels than the general population.
Text description
| Collection period | Study | Age group (years) | Geometric mean level (μg/dL) | 95% confidence interval (μg/dL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 to 2009 | CHMS | 18 to 79 | 1.5 | 1.3–1.6 |
| 2007 to 2008 | IPY IHS – ISR | 18 and above | 3.2 | not available |
| IPY IHS – Nunavut | 18 and above | 3.8 | 3.6–3.9 | |
| IPY IHS – Nunatsiavut | 18 and above | 2.8 | 2.5–3.1 |
Northern populations living in Nunavik and in select communities within the Yukon and NWT had higher average lead levels than the general population.
Text description
| Collection period | Study | Age group (years) | Geometric mean level (μg/dL) | 95% confidence interval (μg/dL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 to 2019 | CHMS | 18 to 79 | 0.91 | 0.86–0.95 |
| 2019 | Yukon | 18 and above | 2.4 | 1.9–3.0 |
| 2016 to 2017 | CHMS | 8 to 79 | 0.91 | 0.85–0.98 |
| 2016 to 2018 | NWT | 8 and above | 1.6 | 1.4–1.8 |
| 2016 to 2017 | CHMS | 16 to 79 | 0.97 | 0.90–1.1 |
| 2017 | Nunavik | 16 and above | 2.5 | 2.5–2.7 |
Levels in pregnant people in Canada
Females of child-bearing age (18 to 49 years) in the general population had a higher average lead level than pregnant people from a multi-city Canadian cohort.
Text description
| Collection period | Study | Age group (years) | Geometric mean level (μg/dL) | 95% confidence interval (μg/dL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 to 2011 | CHMS | 18 to 49 | 0.90 | 0.81–1.0 |
| 2008 to 2011 | MIREC (first trimester) | 18 to 49 | 0.62 | 0.61–0.63 |
| MIREC (third trimester) | 18 to 49 | 0.57 | 0.56–0.59 |
Levels in children in Canada
Average lead levels were similar between preschoolers (aged 3 to 5) in the general population and those in a cohort from several Canadian cities. A similar pattern was observed for school-age children (aged 8 to 11).
Text description
| Collection period | Study | Age group (years) | Geometric mean level (μg/dL) | 95% confidence interval (μg/dL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 to 2015 | CHMS | 3 to 5 | 0.67 | 0.61–0.73 |
| 2013 to 2015 | MIREC-CD Plus | 3 to 5 | 0.68 | 0.65–0.71 |
| 2018 to 2019 | CHMS | 8 to 11 | 0.48 | 0.43–0.54 |
| 2018 to 2021 | MIREC-ENDO | 8 to 11 | 0.54 | 0.50–0.57 |
Related links
Lead resources
- Levels of lead in blood in the Canadian population
- Toxic substances list: lead
- Lead – information sheet
- Water Talk – Lead in drinking water
- Final Human Health State of the Science Report on Lead
- Risk Management Strategy for Lead
- Evaluation of the effectiveness of risk management measures for lead
- Food Directorate updated approach for managing dietary exposure to lead
Biomonitoring resources
- Human Biomonitoring of Environmental Chemicals
- Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme – AMAP Assessment 2021: Human Health in the Arctic
- CHMS – Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS)
- FNBI – First Nations Biomonitoring Initiative
- MIREC – Cohort Profile: The Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals Research Platform
- MIREC-CD Plus – Cohort profile update: The Canadian Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals Child Development study (MIREC-CD PLUS)
- MIREC-ENDO – MIREC-ENDO: Puberty progression, metabolic function and growth
- Northern Contaminants Program
How to cite this page
Health Canada. 2026. Lead in people living in Canada. Ottawa, ON. Available: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/reports-publications/environmental-contaminants/human-biomonitoring-resources/lead-people-living-canada.html
For more information, contact: biomonitoring-biosurveillance@hc-sc.gc.ca