Four cancer studies have taken place in Bruce County over a 20 year period from 1979 to 1998, as indicated in the above chart. They show rates of Male Prostate and Female Colorectal cancers rose to approximately 35% to 40% above provincial averages in the 3rd five year study period, and then inexplicably dropped dramatically to between 5% and 20% above provincial averages in the 4th study.
Cancer Care Ontario, the body that gathers such statistics, says that rates in Bruce County are no cause for alarm and are “within the bounds of (statistical) chance”. CCO collects statistics from all over Bruce County, but will not release the location of its survey samples because “the population base is so small that we could not insure confidentiality” to the client base. Thus it is not possible for anyone outside of Cancer Care Ontario to know the geographical location of the samples and, for example, whether sampling was conducted within 25 kms. of the Bruce facility or much further away, in the northern or eastern limits of Bruce County.
During the first 15 years of the study period, the Bruce nuclear site expanded considerably. Could there be a relationship between the facility and rates of cancers and childhood leukemia in Bruce County? Dr. David Hoel, specialist in cancers related to radiation, thinks it is possible: his affidavit (PDF), written for the Inverhuron and District Ratepayers’ Association, questions the findings of agencies that have conducted studies in the Bruce region.