**** Halifax Media Release

Risk Advisory for Barry’s Run

The Halifax Regional Municipality is advising residents to avoid swimming and other activities in Barry’s Run, Port Wallace, due to a recent environmental site assessment confirming high levels of arsenic in the river channel sediments (mud).

There is a history of gold mining in the Montague Mines area, and Barry’s Run is now confirmed to be contaminated from mine tailings. An assessment of samples taken from municipally-owned lands has found high levels of arsenic in the sediments that may pose risks to human health if exposed or ingested. The municipality is advising residents about the potential health risks and asking the public to avoid swimming, wading, and consuming fish from the area until the potential health risks are more thoroughly assessed and managed.

The former Montague gold mine site is owned by the province, which is currently in the process of preparing a detailed closure plan for the contaminated site through Nova Scotia Lands Inc. Further assessment of the potential health risks from mine tailings in Barry’s Run and throughout the areas impacted by the gold mine will be conducted as part of this process.

Advisory signs have been placed on the municipally-owned lands in the Barry’s Run area.

For more information please visit www.halifax.ca/barrysrun.