Radon Levels in Regina, Saskatchewan: What Every Homeowner Needs to Know

If you've just heard about radon and you're wondering whether Regina actually has a problem — the answer is yes. A significant one.

This post covers what radon is, why Regina's numbers are alarming, what the research says, and what you should do about it.

What Is Radon?

Radon is a radioactive gas that forms naturally when uranium in soil and rock breaks down. It seeps upward through the ground and into homes through cracks in the foundation, gaps around pipes, floor drains, and sump pits.

You can't see it. You can't smell it. You can't taste it. The only way to know if it's in your home is to test for it.

Once inside, radon decays into radioactive particles that get trapped in your lungs when you breathe. Long-term exposure damages lung tissue and causes lung cancer. Health Canada identifies radon as the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers in Canada, responsible for more than 3,200 deaths per year.

What Are the Radon Levels in Regina?

High. Regina's radon numbers are not just bad by Canadian standards — they're alarming by global standards.

Research published by the Evict Radon National Study — a partnership between university researchers, Health Canada, and cancer institutes across the country — found that 1 in 2 Regina homes exceeded Health Canada's radon guideline of 200 Bq/m³. That finding was based on testing more than 500 homes in the Regina area.

The average radon level in a Regina home sits right around 200 Bq/m³ — Health Canada's maximum tolerated level. That means the average Regina home is already at the threshold where action is recommended.

Aaron Goodarzi, lead researcher of the Evict Radon study and Canada Research Chair for Radiation Exposure Disease, put it plainly: Regina is strongly looking like the most radon-exposed population on the planet.

How Does Regina Compare?

To understand how serious this is, here's the context:

• Nationally, about 7% of Canadian homes exceed Health Canada's radon guideline

• On the Prairies, that number jumps to roughly 1 in 5 homes — second highest radon levels in the world, behind only Poland

• In Saskatchewan, 1 in 3 homes exceed the guideline

• In Regina, it's 1 in 2

Regina isn't just a Saskatchewan problem. It's a world-class radon problem.

Why Is Regina So Bad?

Saskatchewan sits on some of the most uranium-rich bedrock in Canada — and uranium breakdown is what produces radon. That's the geology side.

The building side makes it worse. Regina's cold winters mean homes are sealed tight for six or more months of the year. That gives radon gas nowhere to go — it accumulates inside. The tighter and more energy-efficient the home, the more radon can build up without fresh air diluting it.

Researchers have also noted that radon levels tend to be higher in newer homes — likely because modern construction is more airtight than older builds. This isn't just a problem for 1960s bungalows. New builds in Regina are affected too.

Basements are the other factor. Regina homeowners love their basements — finished family rooms, home offices, basement bedrooms. Those are the spaces where radon concentrations are highest, and where families spend significant time.

What Is Health Canada's Guideline?

Health Canada's radon guideline is 200 Bq/m³ (Becquerels per cubic metre). If your home tests above this level, Health Canada recommends taking action to reduce it — within one year for levels at or above 200 Bq/m³, and sooner for significantly elevated levels.

There is no truly "safe" level of radon exposure — any exposure carries some risk. The guideline represents the threshold where the health risk becomes significant enough to warrant action.

Does My Neighbourhood Matter?

Not as much as you'd think. Radon levels can vary dramatically from house to house on the same street. The soil conditions directly beneath your specific foundation, the construction type, how airtight the home is, where air enters and exits — all of these affect your home's radon level independently of your neighbours.

The only way to know your home's radon level is to test it. Your neighbour's result tells you nothing reliable about your own.

What Should Regina Homeowners Do?

Step 1: Test. Every Regina home should be tested. Given that 1 in 2 homes exceeds the guideline, the odds are not in your favour if you haven't checked.

Begone Radon offers professional assessments where we come to your home with a calibrated continuous monitor. Within 24 to 48 hours we can tell you whether your levels are fine, elevated, or high enough to act on immediately — without waiting three months for a lab result to come back.

Step 2: If levels are high, mitigate. A sub-slab depressurization system brings radon levels down by 80–99% in most homes. It's not invasive, it doesn't require major renovations, and it can be installed in a day. The fan runs continuously and quietly — most homeowners forget it's there.

Step 3: Retest. After mitigation, confirm the system is working with a follow-up test. Then retest every two years or after any major renovations.

The Bottom Line

Regina has one of the worst radon problems on the planet. Half of homes in the city exceed the level at which Health Canada says you should act. Most homeowners have no idea what their levels are.

Testing is easy. Mitigation works. The only thing standing between your family and this risk is knowing your number.

Book a Radon Assessment in Regina

Begone Radon is a Regina-based, C-NRPP certified radon testing and mitigation company. We test homes, explain your results, and install mitigation systems when levels are high.

Book your assessment with Begone Radon today.

Sources: Evict Radon National Study; Health Canada Radon Guidelines; Cross-Canada Survey of Radon 2024; Global News; CTV Regina; 620 CKRM