Despite research linking brownfields to increased health risks, City of St. Catharines stalls action on toxic GM site

For elected officials who campaigned on cleaning up the toxic blight that is the former General Motors property next to downtown St. Catharines—promising to leave “no stone unturned”—the last few weeks illustrated their ongoing apathy toward a critical issue they claimed was a priority not long ago.

At the beginning of October, it was revealed in reporting by The Pointer that the demolition permits at the crumbling site have been revoked, and a $1.7 million lien had been placed on the property by Peters Environmental due to nonpayment. Exactly one month ago, the City admitted it had no idea if the system Peters Environmental was hired to install to filter contaminants and prevent them from leaving the site, was operational. Councillors and Mayor Mat Siscoe made no statements to the public, and did not answer questions from The Pointer, despite the clear evidence the system was offline. Siscoe spoke on the issue at a town hall meeting, and misled residents, claiming the City had no jurisdiction to step in, which is demonstrably false. 

The broken promises of politicians in St. Catharines are made far worse due to the public health risk posed by the site. 

It’s situated in the midst of a densely populated neighbourhood, it’s a common spot for unhoused people taking shelter and residents report children are seen playing in the area. The crumbling structures across much of the sprawling 55-acre space are half-demolished and filled with their own hazards. 

Many of the buildings either have open doors, or demolished walls allowing for easy access inside. Around the site are open manholes and other industrial pits that are only partly covered or hard to see in the dark. Barrels containing unknown substances and other industrial compounds litter the site. The access hatch to an oil grit separator is often wide open—and it’s on the outside of the fenced part of the property, allowing easy entry into one of the most contaminated locations of the site. 

The risks posed by the General Motors property are easy to see.

(Joel Wittnebel/The Pointer files)

The City has consistently refused to address these physical risks, despite having the legal authority to step in and fix potential threats to public health and safety.

The risk also sits under the ground.

Environmental site assessments commissioned by General Motors in 2010 and 2011 confirmed that the property contains deadly contaminants at concentrations up to 1,100 times above safe limits. The current status of these harmful chemicals is unknown. But with the filtration system installed to contain certain contaminants now apparently offline, it should raise significant red flags among elected officials. It got the attention of local MPPs who wrote to the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Parks (MECP). Their response was muted and noncommittal, hinting at a potential investigation, without actually indicating that one will be done. 

While the current state of contamination remains unknown, what years of research has shown is these sites can pose a considerable risk to those who live near them. 

A 2023 review of six studies related to brownfields and health, found that all six studies found a positive correlation between living near a brownfield site and at least one major health harm, including poorer overall health, higher mortality, birth defects, and elevated metal levels. These studies found the risks could extend as much as 2,000 metres beyond the property line.

Another review reported similarly broad associations between proximity to environmental hazards and adverse outcomes such as pregnancy complications, congenital defects, childhood cancers, respiratory illness, stroke, and chronic disease—while noting that proximity is not the same as direct exposure.

Additional research in the U.S. shows measurable effects on lifespan: people living within 322 metres of a toxic site lose about 10 weeks of life expectancy, rising to 1.22 years in disadvantaged areas. 

Studies have shown that the health impacts of a brownfield site can extend 2,000 metres beyond the property line. The map above shows a 2,000 metre buffer around the contaminated former GM site in St. Catharines. 

Determining the precise level of risk posed by these sites can be difficult, experts say. 

“The thing to keep in mind in interpreting correlations like these … is that there may also be other factors at play — for example, people with lower incomes may live near these sites (cheaper housing), and perhaps their access to healthy nutrition is also different, or workers and their families may live near the site and therefore there is more direct exposure,” Dr. Elizabeth Alvarez, Associate Professor in the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact at McMaster University explained to The Pointer. “What I mean to say is that correlation is not always causation and there may be many interplaying factors. Not to say that the site itself may not be a part of it, but it is not always straightforward to tease these factors (determinants of health) out.”

Glenn Brooks does not need all the statistics. He and his partner Susan Rosebrugh have lived next to the site for almost 15 years and he believes he suffers the maladies that plague him because of it. Diagnosed with a rare form of male breast cancer in 2021, Brooks maintains that living next to the former GM site is what has made him sick.  Asked by The Pointer if they have ever considered moving he laments how the couple is “barely getting by as it is” and they “could never afford the rent of any other place”.  

During their campaigns for office, municipal elected officials in St. Catharines have tried to convince residents they share their anger and concern about the derelict site and broken promises of politicians past. Tapping into the widespread anxiety expressed by area residents, politicians have repeatedly cast themselves as the champions who will finally resolve the numerous risks posed by the province.

In 2014, former mayor Walter Sendzik claimed he was the person best suited to lead because of his understanding of business and his ability to ensure the GM site was properly developed. 

An investigation by The Pointer found, under Sendzik, the City’s council previously fast-tracked the residential re-zoning process to allow the property owner to redevelop the site for homes, despite the mountain of financial and environmental risks that were ignored by the city’s local elected officials. Instead of demanding staff and the property owner take responsibility for the protection of public health, it was clear that current members of council, including Mayor Siscoe, were more interested in helping the property owner get approvals that would help push the lucrative development project toward completion.

During the 2022 municipal election, candidates repeatedly leaned on the issue that is the GM site to boost their electoral chances. Mayor Siscoe promised to leave no stone unturned and to employ every lever at his disposal. Councillor Caleb Ratzlaff pledged to use all tools available to the City to move development of the GM site forward. Councillor Robin McPherson claimed to have a personal relationship with the property’s owners. The claims have been consistent, and consistently ignored once they moved from candidate to politician. 

None of them have used property standard bylaws or other legislative mechanisms at their disposal. The most visible action the City has taken was to sponsor an event on the toxic site itself, inviting families to gather and paint the plywood fencing surrounding the property, to beautify the hoarding around the polluted land which only a decade earlier had contaminants at as much as a thousand times above allowable limits.  

Responsibility has routinely been shifted to the Province, with local officials falsely claiming the City has no powers to mitigate the various concerns on the site. 

Council as a whole has suggested that as a courtesy, matters should be addressed by the area representatives, Ratzlaff or McPherson, because the property falls within their ward.

There was a glimmer of hope in 2020 when Councillor Joe Kushner insisted the City establish a committee made up of staff and residents charged with identifying the correct path forward to finally clean up the former GM property. It was never formed, despite Kushner’s request being ratified in a council motion.

With the recent revelations, Brooks is hoping it will be the push the City needs to finally use the powers they have to start “fighting the good fight”.  

“We feel like it could not get much worse for us, but we think that if the City would just step up it’s not too late for others.”

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