A.E. Wilson Park Soil Testing

Updated September 2026

As part of environmental testing conducted during the planning stages of the Southwest Sewer Upgrade Project, the City of Regina discovered elevated concentrations of metals and hydrocarbons in the soil located in the northeast portion of A.E. Wilson Park. In response to this, in 2023, the City took a proactive approach to protect public health by installing fencing and signs restricting access around the contaminated area and issuing a media release to inform the public. The City has followed provincial environmental guidelines, fenced off affected areas and hired environmental experts to complete comprehensive environmental testing. More than 300 soil samples from over 180 locations have been collected across A.E. Wilson Park. Samples of groundwater, as well as sediment and surface water from Wascana Creek, have also been collected.

Upcoming Work 

Now that the required reports and sampling have been completed, the City is moving forward to determine strategies for safe use of the area. To do this, the City is engaging with impacted parties, Indigenous groups and residents to understand priorities and concerns. This information will be used to develop an environmental corrective action plan to reduce the risk from contaminated soil that will be submitted to the Ministry of Environment for approval. Work on the corrective action plan is expected to begin in 2027, with exact timelines to be confirmed upon Ministry of Environment approval.

You may have noticed soil being brought to the site, this soil will be used as part of the corrective action plan.

Potential Health Risks Associated with Elevated Lead Levels

While other contaminants have been identified in A.E. Wilson Park, lead is the only contaminant identified as posing a potential unacceptable risk to human health. An unacceptable risk was identified in the fenced off portion of the park. Note that an individual is not likely to be impacted by touching contaminated soil. It takes consistent, reoccurring contact with lead to notably increase the chance of developing a related health condition.

Health Canada provides guidelines to identify acceptable levels of lead exposure. While lead can be harmful to everyone, infants and children are the most susceptible. Ingestion is the most common source of exposure and prolonged, recurring exposure can increase lead levels in the blood. Residents are encouraged to refer to Health Canada’s website for further information:

Health Canada - Lead Information - Commonly Asked Questions

As part of the soil investigation, the park was divided into four areas:

Area 1 (green): Rick Hansen Optimist Playground

Area 2 (red): Former wastewater plant site

Area 3 (blue): South of the playground and parking lot

Area 4 (yellow): West side of Wascana Creek, including the islands

Outside of the fenced off portion of the park, all other areas can be used. Testing in green and blue areas shows lead levels below the risk threshold for human health guidelines. On the west side of Wascana Creek (yellow), elevated lead levels were identified but deemed acceptable. Therefore, while foraging in the yellow area is not recommended, it does not need to be fenced off. The orange outlined portion of the red area in the below figure is the section of the park that has been fenced off as it has unacceptable levels of lead.

Background

There will always be some level of lead in all soil. Lead is a naturally occurring metal found in soils, bedrock, surface water, ground water and sea water. Lead was a common ingredient in many household and industrial items (e.g., paints, gasoline, pesticides, pipes, tools) before the Government of Canada limited its use in the 1970s, with leaded gasoline being banned in Canada in 1990.

Up until the early 1950s, a portion of A.E. Wilson Park was used for the City’s wastewater treatment plant, a garbage incinerator and a general area to dispose of debris and soil. Many items that were incinerated during that time contained lead and other hazardous materials, resulting in waste ash with high concentrations of contaminants. The remaining ash was likely disposed of on the land before it was developed into a park.

Other City Projects in the Area

Several other City improvement projects have occurred in A.E. Wilson Park over the last couple of years.

Work was completed on the Southwest Sewer Upgrade Project  on the north side of the park but in 2026 work will continue south of the playground and near Wascana Creek.

The McCarthy Boulevard Sewer Renewal project will be completed this year.

For further details on both projects, visit the Southwest Sewer Upgrade Project information page.

Who can I contact for more information?

The City will update the public as we learn more.

If you have any questions, please submit a service request at Regina.ca or by calling 306-777-7000. Reference project number: ENV26-01 or A.E. Wilson Park.

If you have received a letter directly from the City, you can contact the individuals on the letter.