The Kahnawà:ke Environment Protection Office (KEPO) wishes to inform the community that it is actively collecting soil samples on the Kahnawà:ke Survival School (KSS) grounds (including the old campus) as part of its soil sampling campaign. This campaign aims to characterize metal concentrations in the surface soils.
The current campaign has collected over 200 samples and will provide an improved understanding of the extent of the impacted area, as previous soil sampling has indicated high levels of lead and cadmium.
Current samples are being analyzed with the support of the Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Environment, based out of McGill University. Additionally, one in ten samples will be sent to a commercial lab for confirmatory analysis. Sample analysis will be ongoing over the next few weeks, where results will be compiled and mapped to clearly visualize the extent of the impacted area.
In May 2026, KEPO unveiled nine samples of maple syrup covering the years 2022-2026. The results ranged from no detection of lead to a maximum of 60 µg/L (micrograms per liter). These results are below the threshold of 250 µg/L recommended as safe for human health.
This is an evolving situation, and the Working Group will provide additional updates as they become available.
