Is lead paint more likely outside than inside an Ottawa house?

Health Canada says your home probably contains lead-based paint if it was built before 1960. If it was built between 1960 and 1990, the exterior may contain lead-based paint, and interior surfaces may also contain lead in smaller amounts that could still be harmful, especially to young children. Houses built after 1990 should not contain lead, because all consumer paints produced in Canada and the United States were virtually lead-free by then.

So yes, Health Canada's guidance does point to the exterior as a particular concern for homes built between 1960 and 1990, while interior surfaces in that same age range may also have lead in smaller amounts. For a home built before 1960, Health Canada says it probably contains lead-based paint. The distinction matters less than the age of the home: if yours falls in either band, testing both inside and out is the practical approach.

What to do before any renovation work

Ontario's guideline on lead in construction says section 30 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act requires a project owner to determine whether lead is present and tell prospective contractors; how section 30 applies to a house the owner lives in is not settled, so ask your contractor or the Ministry of Labour if you are unsure. A certified inspector can measure paint lead levels in your home, or you can mail paint chip samples to a testing laboratory. We found too few published Ottawa prices for lead testing to give a reliable range here, so ask contractors what they charge for that step.

If lead is confirmed and work goes ahead, Ontario's guideline notes that employers on construction projects must take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, even though the specific lead regulation (O. Reg. 490/09) and its occupational exposure limit do not apply to construction projects. In plain terms, the method used to disturb or remove lead paint, the dust containment during the work, and the cleanup afterward should all be spelled out in the written quote before you agree to anything.

A few things worth asking any contractor you speak with:

• Which surfaces do they plan to test, and how will results be shared with you before work starts?
• How will they contain dust and debris during the work?
• What does cleanup and waste disposal look like when the job is done?

If you are already in the middle of a renovation and suspect the paint you have disturbed contains lead, stop the work and have it tested: Health Canada says a certified inspector can measure paint lead levels, or you can mail paint chip samples to a testing laboratory.