24 Asbestos Statistics for Ontario Home Renovations (2026)
Cited data on who is exposed to asbestos in Canada, where it hides in older homes, the cancers it causes and the Ontario rules for renovation work.
About 235,000 Canadians are exposed to asbestos at work, and two thirds of them work in construction, according to CAREX Canada. Canada banned asbestos products in 2018, but the material is still inside older homes, in plaster, tiles, drywall compound and insulation. The risk starts when a renovation disturbs it. The 24 statistics below cover who is exposed, where asbestos hides, the cancers it causes and the Ontario rules for work on it. If you are opening walls in an older home, book a vetted renovation pro who will check before demolition.
Figures come from Health Canada, CAREX Canada at the University of British Columbia, the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, the Canadian Cancer Society, Ontario's Occupational Cancer Research Centre, Ontario Regulation 278/05, the World Health Organization and the US EPA. All sources were checked on November 2, 2026.
Key Takeaways
- About 235,000 Canadians are exposed to asbestos at work, 89% of them men (CAREX Canada).
- Carpenters are the largest exposed group, at about 36,000 workers (CAREX Canada).
- Asbestos was used in over 3,000 building materials from the 1950s to the 1990s (CAREX Canada).
- 469 people in Canada died from mesothelioma in 2024 (Canadian Cancer Society).
- Past asbestos exposure at work causes 81% of mesotheliomas diagnosed in Canada each year (CAREX Canada).
- In Ontario, asbestos causes about 630 lung cancers and 140 mesotheliomas a year (OCRC).
How many Canadians are exposed to asbestos?
About 235,000 Canadians are exposed to asbestos at work, CAREX Canada estimates. Most are men in the building trades, and most of today's exposure comes from renovating older buildings, not from mining or making new products. Carpenters, construction labourers and electricians top the list, the same trades that work inside older homes.
1. About 235,000 Canadians are exposed at work
CAREX Canada estimates that about 235,000 Canadians are exposed to asbestos in their workplaces, mostly in the construction sector (CAREX Canada).
2. 89% of exposed workers are men
The people exposed to asbestos at work are primarily male, at 89% (CAREX Canada).
3. About 67% work in construction
Specialty trades and building construction make up about 67% of all exposed workers. CAREX says most exposure today comes from poor dust control during renovation of old buildings (CAREX Canada).
4. Carpenters and labourers: about 36,000 each
The largest exposed groups are carpenters (about 36,000 workers) and construction trades helpers and labourers (about 36,000) (CAREX Canada).
5. Electricians: about 21,000
Next come electricians, at about 21,000 exposed workers, and janitors, caretakers and building superintendents, at about 19,000 (CAREX Canada).
6. The count rose 55% from 2006 to 2016
The number of exposed workers rose by about 83,000 from 2006 to 2016, a 55% increase. CAREX says this was mainly driven by adding occupations to its estimate, such as work in schools and hospitals (CAREX Canada).
Where is asbestos found in older homes?
Asbestos turns up in many parts of homes built before about 1990. It was used in thousands of building products, from roof shingles to drywall compound, and in vermiculite attic insulation. Canada banned new asbestos products in 2018, but that does not remove what is already in the walls, floors and attic.
7. Over 3,000 building materials used asbestos
Asbestos was used in over 3,000 building materials from the 1950s to the 1990s, such as stucco, flooring, roof shingles and insulation. CAREX says people may be exposed during home renovations if these materials are disturbed (CAREX Canada).
8. Before 1990, it was mainly used to insulate homes
Health Canada says that before 1990, asbestos was mainly used to insulate buildings and homes against cold and noise. It lists siding, plaster, floor and ceiling tiles, roofing, drywall, caulking, spackling and pipe insulation as places it may still be found (Health Canada).
9. Vermiculite made from the 1920s to the 1990s may contain it
Vermiculite insulation produced between the 1920s and 1990s and used in homes may contain amphibole asbestos (CAREX Canada). The main concern is Zonolite attic insulation from the Libby mine in Montana, which closed in 1990 (CCOHS).
10. Canada banned asbestos products in 2018
Regulations that came into force in 2018 ban the import, sale and use of asbestos and of products that contain it, with a few exceptions (Health Canada). Asbestos use peaked in the late 1960s and early 1970s (CAREX Canada).
How many people does asbestos make sick?
Thousands of Canadians a year. Past work exposure is linked to about 1,900 lung cancers and 430 mesotheliomas each year in Canada. Mesothelioma deaths reached 469 in 2024, and Ontario cases have more than tripled since 1993. These cancers show up decades after exposure, which is why today's renovation dust matters.
11. About 1,900 lung cancers and 430 mesotheliomas a year
Past work exposure to asbestos, from 1961 to 2001, leads to about 1,900 lung cancers and 430 mesotheliomas each year in Canada, the Burden of Occupational Cancer in Canada project estimates (CAREX Canada).
12. 81% of mesotheliomas trace to work exposure
Those cases make up 8% of all lung cancers and 81% of all mesotheliomas diagnosed in Canada each year. CAREX says almost all the rest are likely due to asbestos exposure outside work (CAREX Canada).
13. $2.35 billion in costs for one year of cases
Work-related asbestos exposure led to about $2.35 billion in costs for lung cancer and mesothelioma cases newly diagnosed in 2011 (CAREX Canada).
14. 545 Canadians were diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2023
In 2023, 545 people in Canada, not counting Nova Scotia, were diagnosed with mesothelioma: 425 men and 125 women (Canadian Cancer Society).
15. 469 Canadians died from mesothelioma in 2024
In 2024, 469 people in Canada died from mesothelioma, including 361 men and 108 women (Canadian Cancer Society).
16. Ontario: about 630 lung cancers and 140 mesotheliomas a year
Fewer than 55,000 Ontario workers are exposed to asbestos, but it is estimated to cause 630 lung cancers, 140 mesotheliomas and 15 laryngeal cancers in the province each year (Occupational Cancer Research Centre).
17. Ontario cases rose from 75 to nearly 250 a year
Mesothelioma diagnoses in Ontario rose from 75 in 1993 to nearly 250 in 2017, with over 4,000 cases in that period. About 80% of patients were men and 83% were over 60 (OCRC research brief).
18. 80% to 85% of mesotheliomas are tied to work exposure
About 80% to 85% of mesotheliomas are linked to asbestos exposure at work. The OCRC says these diseases will persist for many decades despite the ban, because of long latency (OCRC research brief).
19. Median survival is 9.3 months
For Ontario patients diagnosed from 2013 to 2017, median survival was 9.3 months, with 40% alive at one year and 6.3% at five years (OCRC research brief).
20. About 240 cases a year, but only about 80 compensated
Ontario diagnosed about 240 mesothelioma cases a year in the latest five years studied, while about 80 a year were compensated. The OCRC says the gap is mostly because claims are not filed (OCRC research brief).
Source: Occupational Cancer Research Centre, Mesothelioma Surveillance and Prognosis in Ontario (2020). The 2017 figure is shown as 250; the brief says "nearly 250".
Source: CAREX Canada. The 19% share is the remainder.
What are the Ontario rules for asbestos in renovations?
Ontario Regulation 278/05 sets the rules for asbestos on construction and renovation jobs. It sorts work into Type 1, 2 and 3 by risk, with stricter controls for larger or dustier jobs. It does not put the testing duty on owners of owner-occupied homes, so homeowners need to ask their contractor about it.
21. 0.5% asbestos by weight counts as asbestos-containing
Under the regulation, a material is asbestos-containing if it has 0.5% or more asbestos by dry weight (O. Reg. 278/05). The limit for asbestos in workplace air in Ontario is 0.1 fibres per cubic centimetre (CAREX Canada).
22. One square metre of drywall changes the rules
Removing less than one square metre of drywall with asbestos joint compound is a Type 1 operation. Removing one square metre or more is Type 2, which requires respirators, protective clothing and warning signs (O. Reg. 278/05).
23. Over one square metre of crumbly asbestos is Type 3
Disturbing more than one square metre of friable asbestos, the kind that crumbles by hand, is a Type 3 operation. It needs a sealed enclosure, a decontamination area and air testing that shows no more than 0.01 fibres per cubic centimetre before the enclosure comes down (O. Reg. 278/05).
24. Worldwide, over 200,000 deaths a year
Work exposure to asbestos causes more than 200,000 deaths around the world each year, over 70% of all deaths from work-related cancers, the WHO says (WHO). The US EPA links asbestos to more than 40,000 US deaths a year (US EPA).
Source: WHO asbestos fact sheet (2026), based on WHO/ILO Joint Estimates. WHO says "over 70%".
What this means for homeowners
- Test before you tear out. Health Canada advises a professional asbestos test before renovating an older home, and a qualified removal specialist if it is found.
- Leave it alone until then. Intact asbestos behind walls or in an attic poses no significant risk, Health Canada says. Sanding, cutting and drilling are what release fibres.
- Watch the attic. If you see loose, pebble-like vermiculite, do not store things there or disturb it. Get it tested before any insulation upgrade.
- Ask about old drywall. Joint compound can contain asbestos, so ask before any drywall repair or wall removal. Our building permit statistics and home renovation statistics cover the rest of the planning.
- Pro House Maintenance is free for homeowners and matches you with local pros who passed WSIB, insurance, reference and background checks. Compare the best general contractors in Toronto or request free written quotes for your renovation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Canadians are exposed to asbestos?
About 235,000 Canadians are exposed to asbestos at work, CAREX Canada estimates. About 67% of them work in construction, mostly specialty trades and building construction. Carpenters and construction labourers are the largest groups, at about 36,000 workers each, followed by electricians at about 21,000.
Which homes are likely to contain asbestos?
Homes built or renovated before about 1990. Health Canada says asbestos was mainly used to insulate homes and buildings before 1990, and it can still be found in siding, plaster, floor and ceiling tiles, roofing, drywall compound and pipe insulation. Vermiculite attic insulation made from the 1920s to the 1990s may also contain it.
How many people die from mesothelioma in Canada?
In 2024, 469 people in Canada died from mesothelioma, a cancer most often tied to asbestos, the Canadian Cancer Society reports. That included 361 men and 108 women. In 2023, 545 people were diagnosed with it, not counting Nova Scotia.
Is asbestos dangerous if I leave it alone?
Usually not. Health Canada says asbestos poses no significant health risk when it is left undisturbed, sealed behind walls and floorboards, isolated in an attic or tightly bound in products in good condition. The risk comes from drilling, sanding, cutting or removing it, which releases fibres you can breathe in.
Should I test for asbestos before I renovate?
Yes, if the home is older. Health Canada advises hiring a professional to test before renovating, and a qualified removal specialist if asbestos is found. Ontario's asbestos regulation does not put the testing duty on owners of owner-occupied homes, so you have to ask for it. Pro House Maintenance matches you with vetted, insured local pros for free.