Mercury in people living in Canada
Learn about human biomonitoring of mercury in Canada.
On this page
- About mercury
- Data sources for mercury biomonitoring
- Results of mercury biomonitoring
- Related links
- How to cite this page
About mercury
Mercury is a metal that is found naturally in:
- rock
- soil
- sediment
- water
It exists in three forms:
- elemental
- inorganic
- organic (such as methylmercury)
Mercury enters the environment through natural sources and industrial activities. Once released, mercury can be converted into various forms and moves easily through air and water. It stays in the environment for a long time and is present around the world, even in remote areas like the Arctic.
The general population in Canada is mainly exposed to mercury by eating fish. Some species, especially large predatory fish, contain higher levels of methylmercury. At the same time, fish is part of a healthy diet at all life stages, including during pregnancy and breastfeeding. We provide guidance on fish consumption to help ensure methylmercury exposure in people living in Canada remains low.
In some Arctic and northern communities, people are exposed to higher levels of methylmercury from eating fish and marine mammals. These communities and public health authorities work together to provide local guidance on fish and marine mammal consumption that considers risks, nutritional benefits, and community needs.
Some people are exposed to inorganic mercury from dental fillings. The general population can be exposed to elemental mercury when older products that contain mercury break or spill and release vapours. Some consumer products, such as certain skin lightening creams and soaps obtained from suppliers that do not meet Canadian safety requirements, contain mercury. Use of these products can also contribute to exposure.
Mercury is absorbed in the body after exposure. The body absorbs much more methylmercury and elemental mercury (as vapour) than inorganic mercury.
Mercury is typically measured as total mercury and can be measured in a urine, blood, or hair sample. The presence of mercury in urine generally reflects exposure to elemental or inorganic mercury. Its presence in blood reflects more recent exposure to organic forms, like methylmercury.
Potential health effects of mercury
Exposure to organic mercury, such as methylmercury, can affect the nervous system at high levels of exposure. Fetuses, infants, and young children are especially at risk because their nervous systems are still developing. The levels of methylmercury exposure in the general population of Canada are generally below the potential levels of concern for these effects and therefore the risk in most people is considered low.
Elemental mercury vapour can cause respiratory, cardiovascular, kidney and neurological effects. Exposure to inorganic mercury can affect the kidneys.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer reviewed different types of mercury compounds. They classified methylmercury as possibly carcinogenic (causing cancer) to humans. For elemental and inorganic mercury, they found there isn't enough information to determine whether these forms can cause cancer in people.
The presence of a substance in your body doesn't mean it will affect your health.
Managing mercury in the Canadian population
Mercury is considered toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, due to concerns for human health and the environment.
We have established blood mercury guidance values to identify levels that may pose a health risk and to guide advice on reducing exposure.
Guidance values are available for:
- children
- pregnant people
- females of child-bearing age
- the general adult population
We work to manage levels of mercury in the Canadian population by:
- setting maximum levels for mercury in fish sold to consumers
- establishing a guideline for mercury in drinking water
- prohibiting the manufacture and import of most mercury-containing products in Canada including new prohibitions for lamps containing mercury
- limiting the amount of mercury in a variety of consumer products, including those for children
- prohibiting mercury and its compounds as ingredients in cosmetic products
- establishing limits on mercury levels for various other products including cannabis, natural health products, prescription and non-prescription drugs
- supporting the Minamata Convention on Mercury to reduce human-caused mercury emissions and protect human health and the environment
We continue to monitor and assess mercury.
Data sources for mercury 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 mercury and other metals in the Canadian population through the Canadian biomonitoring dashboard.
Overview of biomonitoring initiatives for blood mercury 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 2011, 2016 to 2019 | 3 to 79 | 4488 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 mercury biomonitoring
Levels in the general Canadian population
From 2007 to 2024, average mercury levels decreased by 36% in people aged 6 to 79.
Text description
| Collection period | Geometric mean level (μg/L) | 95% confidence interval (μg/L) |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 to 2009 | 0.72 | 0.58–0.89 |
| 2009 to 2011 | 0.74 | 0.59–0.92 |
| 2016 to 2017 | 0.62 | 0.53–0.73 |
| 2018 to 2019 | 0.73 | 0.61–0.88 |
| 2023 to 2024 | 0.46 | 0.40–0.53 |
Levels in the general Canadian population, by age group
Adults had higher average mercury levels than children and adolescents.
Text description
| Collection period | Age group (years) | Geometric mean level (μg/L) | 95% confidence interval (μg/L) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 to 2024 | 1 to 2 | not available | not available |
| 3 to 5 | not available | not available | |
| 6 to 11 | not available | not available | |
| 12 to 19 | not available | not available | |
| 20 to 39 | 0.45 | 0.37–0.54 | |
| 40 to 59 | 0.54 | 0.44–0.66 | |
| 60 to 79 | 0.59 | 0.49–0.71 |
Levels for some age groups are not available because too many results were below the detection limit.
Levels in the general Canadian population, by sex at birth
Average mercury levels were similar between females and males.
Text description
| Collection period | Sex at birth | Geometric mean level (μg/L) | 95% confidence interval (μg/L) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 to 2024 | Females | 0.45 | 0.38–0.52 |
| Males | 0.44 | 0.37–0.52 |
Levels in the First Nations on-reserve population in Canada
Average mercury 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/L) | 95% confidence interval (μg/L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 to 2011 | CHMS | 20 to 79 | 0.87 | 0.67–1.1 |
| 2011 | FNBI | 20 to 79 | 0.95 | 0.51–1.8 |
Levels in Indigenous and northern populations in the Canadian Arctic and Subarctic
Inuit populations in the ISR, Nunavut and Nunatsiavut had higher average mercury levels than the general population.
Text description
| Collection period | Study | Age group (years) | Geometric mean level (μg/L) | 95% confidence interval (μg/L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 to 2009 | CHMS | 18 to 79 | 0.81 | 0.65–1.0 |
| 2007 to 2008 | IPY IHS – ISR | 18 and above | 4.58 | not available |
| IPY IHS – Nunavut | 18 and above | 10 | 9.8–11 | |
| IPY IHS – Nunatsiavut | 18 and above | 3.2 | 2.9–3.6 |
Northern populations living in Nunavik had a higher average mercury level than the general population. For those populations living in select communities in the Yukon, the level was similar to the general population. The average mercury level is not available for people living in the Mackenzie Valley, NWT as too many results were below the detection limit.
Text description
| Collection period | Study | Age group (years) | Geometric mean level (μg/L) | 95% confidence interval (μg/L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 to 2019 | CHMS | 18 to 79 | 0.81 | 0.68–0.98 |
| 2019 | Yukon | 18 and above | 0.76 | 0.52–1.1 |
| 2016 to 2017 | CHMS | 8 to 79 | 0.63 | 0.54–0.74 |
| 2016 to 2018 | NWT | 8 and above | not available | not available |
| 2016 to 2017 | CHMS | 16 to 79 | 0.69 | 0.58–0.81 |
| 2017 | Nunavik | 16 and above | 8.4 | 7.8–9.0 |
Levels in pregnant people in Canada
Average mercury levels were similar between pregnant people from a multi-city Canadian cohort and females of child-bearing age (18 to 49 years) in the general population.
Text description
| Collection period | Study | Age group (years) | Geometric mean level (μg/L) | 95% confidence interval (μg/L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 to 2011 | CHMS | 18 to 49 | 0.67 | 0.51–0.87 |
| 2008 to 2011 | MIREC (first trimester) | 18 to 49 | 0.60 | 0.57–0.63 |
| MIREC (third trimester) | 18 to 49 | 0.48 | 0.46–0.51 |
Levels in children in Canada
School-age children (aged 8 to 11) in the general population had a higher average mercury level than those in a cohort from several Canadian cities. A level is not available for preschoolers (aged 3 to 5) in the general population as too many results were below the detection limit.
Text description
| Collection period | Study | Age group (years) | Geometric mean level (μg/L) | 95% confidence interval (μg/L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 to 2015 | CHMS | 3 to 5 | not available | not available |
| 2013 to 2015 | MIREC-CD Plus | 3 to 5 | 0.22 | 0.20–0.24 |
| 2018 to 2019 | CHMS | 8 to 11 | 0.35 | 0.30–0.41 |
| 2018 to 2021 | MIREC-ENDO | 8 to 11 | 0.25 | 0.22–0.29 |
Related links
Mercury resources
- Levels of mercury (total) in blood in the Canadian population
- Mercury
- Toxic substances list: mercury
- Mercury – information sheet
- Canadian Mercury Science Assessment
- Risk Management Strategy for Mercury
- Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Risk Management Measures for Mercury
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. Mercury 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/mercury-people-living-canada.html
For more information, contact: biomonitoring-biosurveillance@hc-sc.gc.ca