Latest news with #Guichon
Global News
30-06-2025
- Health
- Global News
Calgary reintroduces fluoride into drinking water but faces court injunction
Fluoride has been reintroduced into the drinking water in Alberta's largest city nearly four years after Calgarians voted in support in a plebiscite on the matter in the last municipal election. Calgary city council voted in favour of adding fluoride to the city's water supply in November 2021, after a plebiscite during that year's municipal election resulted in 62 per cent of Calgarians voting in support. The move required a series of upgrades at both of Calgary's water treatment plants at a cost of $28.1 million. The reintroduction of fluoride will also require $1 million in annual operating spending, which the city said is funded through water rates. Although there is fluoride naturally in the Bow and Elbow rivers in low concentrations — between 0.1 and 0.4 milligrams per litre — the city said it is adding a consistent concentration to reach 0.7 mg/L, which is recommended by Health Canada to enhance oral health. Story continues below advertisement 'Fluoridation is backed by the Public Health Agency of Canada, Alberta Health Services and numerous health organizations worldwide,' the city said in a statement. 'It is a proven, safe and cost-effective way to reduce cavities and improve dental health, especially for those without regular access to dental care.' City officials added that the reintroduction of fluoride has no impact on the taste or smell of drinking water. Juliet Guichon, a professor in the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine, told Global News that studies show dental decay rose significantly in children in Calgary — after fluoride was removed — compared to Edmonton where the water remained fluoridated. 'This demonstrated, irrefutably, that water fluoridation makes a difference,' Guichon said. 'Even in an era with fluoridated products, going to the dentist and getting fluoride applied, dental sealants and so on.' Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy However, a group called Safe Water Calgary is trying to put a stop to fluoridation and has filed an injunction at the Court of King's Bench that will be heard on July 9. The group says it has 'new science' to support its anti-fluoride stance, adding that the risk of damage is not worth the dental benefit. 'There are so many other ways we can get fluoride into kids,' said Robert C. Dickson with Safe Water Calgary. 'There's a national dental care program for the poor now, … there's fluoride in toothpaste if you want it, there's fluoride in rinses and gels and foams at the dentist's office if you want it. We spent $28 million to replace the infrastructure. That could have funded programs for decades.' Story continues below advertisement Adding fluoride to Calgary's water supply has long been a contentious issue in the city. Calgarians voted against introducing fluoride into the drinking water in four separate plebiscites on the issue in 1957, 1961, 1966 and 1971. It wasn't until a 1989 plebiscite when Calgarians voted in favour of introducing fluoridation, which began in 1991. It was supported again in a 1998 plebiscite by more than half of voters, which resulted in a reduction of the level of fluoride from 1.0 mg/L to 0.7 mg/L after a review by the City of Calgary and AHS. Calgary's drinking water remained fluoridated for 20 years until city council voted to discontinue the practice in 2011. Ward 9 councillor Gian-Carlo Carra was part of that council when the decision was made and said the move was largely driven by costs. Story continues below advertisement 'I can acknowledge it probably wasn't the right thing to do at the time, and I'm deeply proud of Calgarians for voting to put it back in,' he said. Reintroducing fluoride into Calgary's drinking water has faced several delays due to supply chain issues and inflationary pressures. Calgary joins Edmonton, Red Deer and Lethbridge as Alberta cities that add fluoride to drinking water, which is also done in other cities like Winnipeg, Toronto and Ottawa. The move will impact communities like Chestermere, Airdrie, Strathmore and portions of Foothills County, Rocky View County and Tsuut'ina Nation, which have their drinking water supplied by the City of Calgary.
Calgary Herald
30-06-2025
- Health
- Calgary Herald
Fluoride back in Calgary's water system four years after city-wide plebiscite
Article content Fluoride has been reintroduced back into Calgary's water supply as of Monday, four years after the 2021 plebiscite that led city council to make the change. Article content Juliet Guichon, president of Calgarians for Kids' Health who has been advocating for the fluoridation of city water for years, says that even with the council's previous decision to remove it in 2011, fluoride was never truly absent from the city's systems. Article content Article content Article content 'Fluoride is in Calgary's water. It comes naturally from the rocks in the mountains at varying levels, depending on the season,' Guichon said. 'What is happening today is merely the topping up or adjustment of the naturally occurring levels.' Article content Article content The city will measure existing levels and introduce fluoride artificially to match the 0.7 milligrams per litre consistent with Health Canada's Guide for Community Fluoridation. Article content That has taken time, effort, and significant investment. The original estimates to equip water treatment plans to accommodate the substance have tripled, and caused multiple delays in the expected timeline. Article content Guichon says that for the everyday taxpayer, fluoridated water still more than pays for itself in the dental costs it prevents. Article content 'Fluoridation is less than $1.50 per capita per year, and a cavity I think is about $325 to fill,' she said. 'Then you go to the dentist and they say sorry, now your nerve is activated, so we have to take the nerve out. So that's a root canal. And then you need a crown, and then over time, the crown breaks down and then you need a new crown. And then sometimes the tooth goes and then you need a bridge or a dental implant. And it just goes on and on and on.' Article content Article content Calgary periodontist Dr. Bruce Yaholnitsky, past president of the Alberta Dental Association, says the cost of unfluoridated water goes beyond a price tag. Article content 'There's missed days of school. There is parents having to miss work because their child has to go for a dental emergency.' Article content He described the decision to reintroduce fluoride as 'fantastic for the population of Calgary, for the dental community of Calgary.' Article content The fluoride top-up comes too late for children who grew up in the city from 2011 until now to receive the full benefits, the periodontist said. Article content 'If it's ingested and a tooth bud is developing, it strengthens the enamel. Once the tooth is developed, you're not gonna get that benefit anymore,' Yaholnitsky said. He added that there are still benefits for fluoride's presence around the mouth, even after that initial stage has passed.
