IN THIS ISSUE

Spotlight on CAREX resources – Newly designed interactive maps, harmonizing OELs in Canada
Recent publications – Sun protection behaviours, men and women at work, and pesticides
CAREX news – New grants awarded to study awareness of cancer causes, impact of sex and gender
Upcoming events – Webinar on pesticide exposures and EPICOH symposium 
Communications update – Recent stories from our Carcinogens in the News digest

SPOTLIGHT ON CAREX RESOURCES

CAREX Canada launches newly designed interactive maps by health region

We are pleased to announce the launch of our newly designed maps for environmental carcinogens. These interactive maps show predicted levels of known or suspected carcinogens in the air across Canada. Users can explore the data by health region for 22 substances, including benzene, radon, diesel engine exhaust, and particulate matter (PM2.5).

The new maps are available on the environmental exposures tab of select carcinogen profiles on our website.

Harmonizing occupational exposure limits in Canada and a recommendation for diesel engine exhaust

We recently published a commentary that explores the regulatory landscape of setting occupational exposure limits (OELs) in Canada and highlights the limitations that result in unequal and inadequate protection of workers from harmful exposures. We recommend that Canada overcome these current disparities by moving towards harmonized, evidence-based OELs. By adopting a centralized framework, Canada would ensure that limits are based on the most recent evidence and are feasible to implement in a Canadian context. The open-access commentary is available here.

This commentary features findings from our recent report, “Setting an Occupational Exposure Limit for Diesel Engine Exhaust in Canada: Challenges and Opportunities”, which summarizes the key barriers and facilitators to setting an occupational exposure limit (OEL) for diesel engine exhaust (DEE) in Canada. Current scientific evidence supports the need for a more protective OEL for DEE in Canada, however few jurisdictions have workplace limits (with the exception of the mining industry). Based on evidence of increased lung cancer risk at very low levels, we recommend that Canadian jurisdictions move towards an OEL based on elemental carbon (the best marker of exposure) of 20 µg/m³ for the mining industry and 5 µg/m³ for other workplaces to protect worker health. The report is available here.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Sun protection behaviours in Alberta workers, men and women at work in Canada, and occupational pesticide exposures

Our team recently published several journal articles on CAREX-related research, including:

• An assessment of the sun protection behaviours used by outdoor workers at work and leisure in Alberta.
• A summary of the distribution of labour by sex/gender across occupations in the Canadian workforce and the forces driving sex-segregated occupations.
• The methods and analysis for our new environmental exposure estimates for three pesticides – chorothalonil, 2,4-D, and glyphosate.

A full list of our publications is available here.

CAREX NEWS

New grants awarded to study awareness of cancer causes and the impact of sex and gender on occupational disease

CAREX Canada researchers and collaborators, led by our co-Principal Investigator Dr. Cheryl Peters, were recently awarded two grants to expand our research:

• The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Partnership Engage Grant will bring together experts at the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS), CAREX Canada, the University of Calgary, and the University of Regina to assess Canadians’ awareness of cancer risk factors and beliefs in myths about the causes of cancer. This work will involve a national online survey – stay tuned for more information.
• The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Project Grant will support our research that examines the impact of sex and gender on the risk of three occupational diseases (cancer, asthma, and contact dermatitis) and addresses gaps in exposure assessment, which has inadequately considered differences in exposure by sex and gender.

UPCOMING EVENTS

CAREX webinar on pesticide exposures and the EPICOH occupational health symposium

On June 25th, 2021, we’re hosting a webinar on environmental and occupational pesticide exposure in Canada. This webinar will focus on exposure to three commonly used pesticides in Canada – glyphosate, 2,4-D, and chlorothalonil. It will explore pesticide use across the country, summarize the health outcomes associated with exposure to the three pesticides, and share CAREX Canada’s new results on the number of workers and community members who may be exposed to pesticides from agricultural use. Register for this webinar here.

The 28th International Symposium on Epidemiology in Occupational Health (EPICOH) is taking place virtually this October. EPICOH promotes communication and collaborations among epidemiologists, industrial hygienists, and other occupational health scientists from around the world, and covers a variety of topics including occupational exposures, disease prevention, methodology, and more. The theme of this year’s conference is “From the workplace to the population: Exposure and prevention.” Abstract submissions will be accepted until May 15th, and registration – which is free for all students – is now open.

COMMUNICATIONS UPDATES

Recent stories from our Carcinogens in the News digest

This month, we’re featuring two stories that appeared in our Carcinogens in the News digest:

• A new proposed bill would bring significant changes to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), including recognizing the right to a healthy environment, fast-tracking the regulatory process for toxic substances, supporting the shift to less harmful substances, and more. Our partners at the Canadian Environmental Law Association have long advocated for changes to CEPA that would better protect those who are disproportionately exposed to environmental contaminants and strengthen regulations for toxic substances.
• Another new bill has recently passed second reading in the House of Commons. It aims to develop a national strategy to address the harm caused by environmental racism. This would be the first Canadian legislation to require the collection and analysis of data on the location of environmental hazards and health problems occurring in those areas, in order to better understand the links between race, socioeconomic status, and environmental risk.

You can subscribe to our monthly Carcinogens in the News digest here.

Please note that the CAREX Canada e-Bulletin is now a bi-annual digest. For more regular communications from us, please subscribe to Carcinogens in the News, a monthly digest of media articles, government reports, and academic literature related to the carcinogens we’ve classified as important for surveillance in Canada.

IN THIS ISSUE

Spotlight on COVID-19 – Webinar recording on workplace transmission of COVID-19
Research updates – New data on sun exposure in outdoor workers
Partner updates – Raising awareness on radon, new Occupational Disease Statistics website
Recent publications – Knowledge translation, cancer risks in a First Nations community, and pesticides
Communications update – Recent stories from our Carcinogens in the News digest

SPOTLIGHT ON COVID-19

Webinar recording on workplace transmission of COVID-19

As part of our ongoing work to assess and reduce exposure inequities across jurisdictions and populations, our team has been studying the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on occupational health. At a recent webinar presented in partnership with the Industrial Accident Victims Group of Ontario (IAVGO), our co-Principal Investigator Dr. Cheryl Peters and collaborator Dr. Mieke Koehoorn shared the results of their research on those who may be more susceptible to COVID-19 transmission at work.

Based on an analysis of media reports on workplace exposures, the largest number of unique outbreaks occurred among industrial butchers and meat packing plant workers, nurses and nurse aides, material handlers, and cashiers. As well, one quarter of all media articles analyzed mentioned immigrant or temporary foreign workers as part of the reported COVID-19 outbreak.

The webinar recording is available here.

RESEARCH UPDATES

New data on sun exposure in outdoor workers

Despite the significant health and economic impacts of workplace exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR), occupational exposure measurements to quantify the hazard are limited in most Canadian provinces. To address this gap, our team assessed sun exposure in outdoor workers in Alberta, which has some of the highest ambient sun levels in the country.

The results of our study show that outdoor workers in Alberta may be at considerable risk of solar UVR exposure in the summer months. Almost half of the workers were exposed to levels that exceeded the international occupational exposure limit guideline, with some workers exposed to levels 13 times this guideline.

We also found that few jurisdictions worldwide have surveillance systems in place to control exposure and reduce the risk of non-melanoma skin cancers in this vulnerable worker population. Some key considerations for designing and implementing an occupational surveillance program are summarized in our results.

The full results from this research are available here.

PARTNER UPDATES

Raising awareness on radon exposure

November was Radon Action Month. This year, we’re highlighting some of the work our partners are doing to raise awareness about radon and support action to reduce exposure to this radioactive gas:

• BC Cancer recently launched new pages on their website to share information about radon and cancer prevention. We’re also working with them on a pilot project that aims to increase awareness about radon exposure, testing, and mitigation among staff, and to launch a library lending program for radon test kits at the BC Cancer Library in Kelowna.
• Our co-Principal Investigator Dr. Cheryl Peters and her colleagues at Evict Radon are assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on residential radon exposure, as Canadians are now spending more time at home. Preliminary work by researchers indicates a 35% jump in residential radon exposure from March 2020 onwards.
• We continue to be part of the advisory team for Take Action on Radon. Their signature initiative, the 100 Radon Test Kit Challenge, is providing free radon test kits in 20 communities across Canada. They also recently held a Q&A on radon with our co-Principal Investigator Dr. Anne-Marie Nicol and other radon experts.

Learn more about exposure to radon on our radon resources page.

OCRC launches new Ontario Occupational Disease Statistics website

The Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC) recently launched a new website on occupational disease in Ontario. The interactive website allows users to explore the risks of cancer and other diseases among workers in various industries and occupations. Data is currently available for the construction, healthcare, metal manufacturing, mining, and transportation sectors, with additional sectors and workplace exposures coming soon.

The website is available here.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

CAREX Canada’s knowledge translation approach, cancer risks in a First Nations community, and environmental pesticide exposures

Our team has recently published several journal articles on CAREX research, including:

• A summary of our knowledge translation approach from 2012-2017, including the process model we used to prioritize our efforts and the resulting impacts we’ve had on cancer prevention.
• The results of our screening-level assessment of cancer risk from outdoor air in Aamjiwnaang First Nation.
• The methods and analysis for our new environmental exposure estimates for three pesticides – chorothalonil, 2,4-D, and glyphosate.

A full list of our publications is available here.

COMMUNICATIONS UPDATES

Recent stories from our Carcinogens in the News digest

This month, we’re featuring three stories that appeared in our Carcinogens in the News digest:

• Quebec is lowering the acceptable limits of asbestos permitted to be in the air in workplaces. The new regulation will bring the province in line with norms already in place in Canada and throughout North America.    
• Researchers at the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) compared the costs and benefits of different prevention methods to reduce silica dust exposure for construction workers. They found that a combination of three methods – wet method, local exhaust ventilation, and personal protective equipment – can avert the highest number of lung cancer cases (107 cases per year). However, the most cost-beneficial approach is the wet method used in combination with local exhaust ventilation, which can avert 95 lung cancer cases per year. For more research and news from the IWH, subscribe to their monthly newsletter here.
• The Canadian Cancer Society has released their Canadian Cancer Statistics report, which provides new, detailed estimates of lung cancer incidence, mortality, survival, and prevalence in Canada. It also includes information on important and emerging issues related to lung cancer, such as risk factors, screening, treatment, and equity.

You can subscribe to our monthly Carcinogens in the News digest here.

Please note that the CAREX Canada e-Bulletin is now a bi-annual digest. For more regular communications from us, please subscribe to Carcinogens in the News, a monthly digest of media articles, government reports, and academic literature related to the carcinogens we’ve classified as important for surveillance in Canada.

IN THIS ISSUE

Spotlight on night shift work – New report on research challenges and publication on workplace estimates
Updating resources – Reducing workplace exposure to antineoplastic agents, new pesticide and ionizing radiation estimates 
Communications update – Webinar recordings on workplace exposure to sun and antineoplastic agents now available
Recent publications – New publication on the burden of workplace radon exposure

SPOTLIGHT ON NIGHT SHIFT WORK

New report on research challenges and publication on workplace estimates

The International Agency for Research on Cancer recently released their evaluation on the carcinogenicity of night shift work, classifying it as probably carcinogenic to humans due to limited evidence in humans for cancers of the breast, prostate, colon, and rectum. In response to ongoing uncertainties in research on night shift work, our team has produced a new report, “Carcinogenicity of night shift work: Data gaps and research challenges”. Results show that the main challenges include:

• Adequately assessing exposure to this unique circumstance (i.e. working at night)
• Capturing the population at highest risk of cancer in research studies
• Disentangling the complex and related mechanisms of action that lead to cancer

The report is available here.

Our estimates of workplace exposure to night shift work have been published in the Annals of Work Exposures and Health. Approximately 1.8 million Canadians were exposed to night shift work in 2011. Industries with the largest number of exposed workers were trade (396,000 exposed), healthcare/social assistance (318,000), and manufacturing (261,000 exposed). The publication is available here.

UPDATING RESOURCES

Reducing workplace exposure to antineoplastic agents

Our new resources on reducing workplace exposure to antineoplastic agents are now available. Our team examined the factors that affect safe handling of antineoplastic agents and produced several resources to support exposure reduction efforts, including:

• A compendium of policy levers for safe handling in different healthcare settings
• A comparison of policy levers for safe handling in Alberta, Manitoba, and British Columbia
• A prevention framework to help organizations assess and audit their own safety procedures and plans

The resources are available here.

Workplace and environmental exposure estimates for three pesticides now available

We recently developed occupational and environmental exposure estimates for three pesticides commonly sold in Canada – chorothalonil, 2,4-D, and glyphosate.

Our occupational estimates show the number of workers exposed to each pesticide, as well as breakdowns by farm type and region. In Canadian agricultural workplaces, we estimate that:

• Up to 14,000 workers are exposed to chlorothalonil
• Up to 43,000 workers are exposed to 2,4-D
• Up to 55,000 workers are exposed to glyphosate

Our environmental estimates show the number of people potentially exposed to each pesticide by region based on their residential proximity to agricultural areas, as well as national maps of agricultural pesticide usage. In Canadian communities, we estimate that:

• Over 1.5 million people live in areas with higher potential for chlorothalonil exposure
• Over 2 million people live in areas with higher potential for 2,4-D exposure
• Over 2 million people live in areas with higher potential for glyphosate exposure

Our pesticide estimates and other resources are available here.

New ionizing radiation estimates and summaries for emerging issues

We recently updated our occupational exposure estimates for ionizing radiation and found that approximately 35,000-86,000 Canadians are exposed to ionizing radiation at work. These exposures are most prevalent in nurses, aircrew members, ward aids, and orderlies. The occupational exposure estimates are available here.

We also monitor substances of growing concern to Canadians, and have two new emerging issues summaries available on our website:

• Workplace exposure to ultraviolet radiation from indoor farming lights used to promote plant growth
• Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a large group of synthetic chemicals used in a variety of consumer and industrial products including adhesives, cleaning products, cosmetics, and fire-fighting foams

The new emerging issues summaries are available here.

COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE

Webinar recordings on workplace exposure to sun and antineoplastic agents now available

Two new webinar recordings are now available online:

• Sun exposure in outdoor workers – Measurement and monitoring discusses the risks of occupational sun exposure, shares results from an ultraviolet radiation exposure monitoring project of outdoor workers in Alberta, and outlines the barriers and facilitators that influence surveillance systems for outdoor workers.
• Reducing occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs discusses the factors that influence the safe handling of antineoplastic drugs, shares an updated comparison of safe handling policy levers, and provides tools to support safer environments for workers handling antineoplastic drugs.

The webinar recordings are available here.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

New publication on the burden of workplace radon exposure

Newly published results from the Burden of Occupational Cancer in Canada Study show that 0.8% of lung cancers in Canada are caused by workplace exposure to radon, corresponding to approximately 188 lung cancer cases per year. The majority of indoor workers were exposed to relatively low levels of radon in the workplace. The publication is available here.

Please note that the CAREX Canada e-Bulletin is now a bi-annual digest. For more regular communications from us, please subscribe to Carcinogens in the News, a monthly digest of media articles, government reports, and academic literature related to the carcinogens we’ve classified as important for surveillance in Canada.

IN THIS ISSUE

Spotlight on burden of occupational cancer – New burden of cancer report and fact sheets now available
Additions to the CAREX team – Welcome Shelby
Updating resources – New occupational exposure estimates for welding fumes, gasoline engine exhaust
Recent publications – New publication on occupational exposure to second-hand smoke
Communications update – Webinar recording on occupational lung cancer cases now online
Partner update – Supporting awareness and research during Radon Action Month

SPOTLIGHT ON BURDEN OF OCCUPATIONAL CANCER

Occupational burden of cancer report and fact sheets now available

The Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC) recently released their Burden of Occupational Cancer in Canada report, which presents estimates of the number of cancers caused by exposure to 44 known or suspected workplace carcinogens. Approximately 10,000 cancers per year in Canada are caused by exposures to carcinogens at work, including solar radiation, asbestos, diesel engine exhaust, and crystalline silica. The report also includes evidence-based policy recommendations for workplace cancer prevention, including strengthening occupational exposure limits and creating workplace exposure registries. To view the full report, visit the OCRC website.

CAREX Canada’s occupational exposure estimates were used to produce the burden estimates. We worked with OCRC to develop a series of two-page fact sheets summarizing the burden of cancer results for a number of substances, including asbestos, diesel engine exhaust, night shift work, solar radiation, second-hand smoke, and more. The burden fact sheets are available here.

ADDITIONS TO THE CAREX TEAM

Welcome Shelby

The CAREX team is pleased to welcome new staff member Shelby Fenton, Research Associate. Based at Alberta Health Services in Calgary, Shelby has expertise in environmental and occupational health, and has previously worked as a junior occupational hygienist and risk assessment specialist. She will be working on updating our occupational exposure estimates and supporting other projects related to workplace exposures. Please join us in welcoming Shelby to the CAREX team. Her full biography can be found on Our Team page.

UPDATING RESOURCES

New occupational exposure estimates for welding fumes, gasoline engine exhaust

Our new profile and occupational exposure estimates for welding fumes are now available. Our results show that approximately 333,000 Canadians are exposed to welding fumes at work, primarily in construction and manufacturing industries. Welding fumes are a complex mixture of fine particles and gases produced as a byproduct of welding activities and are classified as carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The profile is available here.

We also recently developed occupational exposure estimates for gasoline engine exhaust. Approximately 1.4 million Canadians are occupationally exposed to gasoline engine exhaust across many industries, including truck and transit transportation. The occupational exposure estimates are available here.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

New publication on occupational exposure to second-hand smoke

Our new estimates of workplace exposure to second-hand smoke have been published in the Canadian Journal of Public Health. Approximately 418,000 Canadians were exposed to second-hand smoke at work in 2016. This represents a 20% decrease in the number of workers exposed from 2006, largely due to efforts to reduce workplace second-hand smoke exposure and tobacco use across Canada. Workers in Saskatchewan and Newfoundland had the highest rates of exposure, while Ontario had the lowest. The publication is available here. The results are also available on our occupational exposure estimates webpage here.

COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE

Webinar recording on occupational lung cancer cases now online

Our recent webinar on legal cases related to occupational exposures and lung cancer is now available online. This webinar was presented in partnership with the Industrial Accident Victims’ Group of Ontario (IAVGO) Community Legal Clinic, the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers Inc. (OHCOW), and the Ontario Office of the Worker Adviser (ON-OWA). It covers legal clinic and advocate perspectives on lung cancer cases in the workers compensation system, relevant CAREX Canada resources on workplace exposures, and opportunities for training. The webinar recording is available here.

PARTNER UPDATE

Supporting awareness and research during Radon Action Month

November is Radon Action Month. This year, we continue to support radon awareness and research with our partners. We are part of the advisory team for Take Action on Radon, a national initiative to bring together radon stakeholders and raise awareness about radon across Canada. Their new campaign, Today 4 Tomorrow, encourages Canadians to test their homes for radon, highlights the positive actions of municipalities across Canada, and shares steps communities can take to help their residents protect themselves. Learn more about the initiative here.

Radon testing data is often collected by many organizations and can be difficult for researchers and public health professionals to access. With our support, the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) is developing the BC Radon Data Repository (BCRDR), an integrated dataset of radon testing results from across the province to help make this data more accessible for research and prevention. To learn more about the initiative or to contribute radon testing data to the BCRDR, please contact Jeffry Trieu.

Please note that the CAREX Canada e-Bulletin is now a bi-annual digest. For more regular communications from us, please subscribe to Carcinogens in the News, a monthly digest of media articles, government reports, and academic literature related to the carcinogens we’ve classified as important for surveillance in Canada.

IN THIS ISSUE

Spotlight on CAREX news – CAREX Canada launches new website
Recent publications – Burden of cancer and sun safety at work results now available
Partner update – Expanding CAREX through international collaborations
Communications update – Two occupational disease websites launched
Other updates – New Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control released

SPOTLIGHT ON CAREX NEWS

CAREX Canada launches new website

We are pleased to announce the launch of our newly updated CAREX Canada website. The new site continues to be a source of evidence-based knowledge on Canadians’ exposures to known and suspected carcinogens, with improved navigation, clearer content, and an updated look.

Some new features include:

• Priority carcinogens – like asbestos and solar radiation – now easily accessible from the homepage
• New Special Topics pages that highlight priority projects and exposures, including Radon in Buildings and the Burden of Cancer
• Restructured environmental and occupational exposure estimate pages with updated visuals

We invite you to explore the new website at www.carexcanada.ca.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

New burden of cancer results now available

Results from the Canadian Population Attributable Risk of Cancer (ComPARe) project were featured in a special issue of Preventive Medicine. The project, which recently launched a new website, estimates the number of cancer cases attributable to more than 20 modifiable risk factors across Canada.

Results for several CAREX Canada priorities were published, including:

• ~6.9% of lung cancer cases attributable to residential radon in 2015
• ~6.9% lung cancer cases attributable to PM₅ (fine particulate matter) in 2015
• ~4% of new cancer cases attributable to occupational exposures in 2011, including solar radiation, asbestos, silica, and others

CAREX Canada has been an active member of the Knowledge Translation Advisory Committee for the project. To learn more about ComPARe, please visit their website.

Results on the impact of night shift work on breast cancer from the Burden of Occupational Cancer in Canada Study are also now available. This research shows that in 2011, approximately 470-1,200 incident breast cancer cases were likely due to shift work in Canada, many of which were in healthcare-related occupations. Shift work is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a probable carcinogen based on limited evidence in humans, with links to breast cancer, and is currently under review for the second time.

The burden publication is available here.

Sun Safety at Work Canada project results and new sun research in Alberta

A new publication from the Sun Safety at Work Canada project is now available. Participants at thirteen workplaces across three Canadian provinces were monitored for solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure to help characterize exposure levels in outdoor workers. Results show that the mean exposure of solar UVR in workers was nearly 5 times the international recommended limit, and 10% were exposed at over 10 times the limit. The publication is available here.

Our co-Principal Investigator Dr. Cheryl Peters is expanding on this research in Alberta. The Sun Exposure in Outdoor Workers Project is currently looking for workplaces with outdoor workers to participate in a new study that will measure solar UVR exposure in Alberta. This study will be the first of its kind in the province. More information on participating in this study is available here.

PARTNER UPDATE

Expanding CAREX through international collaborations

Last month, our co-Principal Investigator Dr. Cheryl Peters visited New Zealand to present on ­the burden of lung cancer due to occupational exposure to radon gas at the 27th International Epidemiology in Occupational Health (EPICOH) conference. While there, she also met with colleagues at WorkSafe New Zealand to present on CAREX Canada and discuss how we can work together to develop a CAREX (CARcinogen EXposure) project for workplace exposures in New Zealand. This new collaboration will involve adapting CAREX data and coding systems to help estimate carcinogen exposures in New Zealand’s workers, and laying the groundwork for the creation of a workplace exposure database in New Zealand.

We have also been working with the Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC) and researchers in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) to help develop CAREX projects in that region. This collaboration was recently featured on the International Development Research Centre’s website, who provided funding to support this work. CAREX methods have been adapted for the labour force of the region and applied to local data to estimate workers’ exposure to carcinogens.

COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE

Two occupational disease websites launched

Two new websites on occupational disease are now available:

• The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) and the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) have created the Prevent Occupational Disease website, an online clearing house of current and credible occupational health resources from Canada and around the world. The website aims to reduce workplace illness and fatalities by providing information on occupational diseases and ways to prevent them. A number of CAREX Canada resources are featured on the site.
• The Occupational Disease Surveillance Program (ODSP), led by the Occupational Cancer Research Centre, has launched their new website focused on surveillance of occupational disease and workplace exposures. This program includes the Occupational Disease Surveillance system (ODSS), which identifies at-risk groups of workers and potential hazardous exposures within the workplace in Ontario. The system can identify and monitor trends in work-related disease and help improve our understanding of occupational diseases, including cancer. There are plans to expand it to other Canadian provinces and create a national network.

OTHER UPDATES

New Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control released

Our funding agency, the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (CPAC), has released their Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control. The Strategy is a 10-year roadmap that focuses on long-term, sustainable impact in cancer control and improving equity in the cancer system, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis priorities.

CPAC’s public engagement of more than 7,500 Canadians revealed several key themes, including a desire for better resources to educate and support people to prevent cancer. Based on this input, one of the Strategy’s five priorities is to decrease the risk of people getting cancer, including reducing exposure to carcinogens at home and at work. It calls for broader policies to reduce environmental exposures, including emission and industrial waste controls, and to support occupational health and safety.

The Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control is available here.

Please note that the CAREX Canada e-Bulletin is now a bi-annual digest. For more regular communications from us, please subscribe to Carcinogens in the News, a monthly digest of media articles, government reports, and academic literature related to the carcinogens we’ve classified as important for surveillance in Canada.