WSIB documents reveal which northern Ontario mines used McIntyre powder

Janice Martell of Elliot Lake, Ont., has garnered some new information in her fight for compensation for miners who have fallen sick after inhaling aluminum dust.

More than three years ago,Martellbegandocumenting evidence to prove the connection between McIntyre Powder and respiratory illnesses like silicosis.

Between 1943and 1980miners in Ontario inhaled the aluminum powder, as they were told it wouldprotect their lungs while they worked underground.

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In December, partners with the project were able to obtainhistorical documents from the Ontario Workers Safety Insurance Board,through a Freedom of Information request.

According to Martell,thosedocuments were part of an Appendix to the Mining Master File. Up until 1987,Ontario had arecord keeping system which included a health file on each mine worker in the province.

The pages include a list of which mines in the province used the McIntyre Powder, when they used it and which groups of miners would have been exposed.

Martellsays when she first started the project she had compiled a list of licenseeswho could legally useMcIntyre Powder in their respective mines. Companies had to acquire a license from thepatentedcreators of the powder to legally use it.

Martellsays her initiallist did not include the dates individual mines would have used the dust or which types of workers would have exposed.

"This document spells it out," shesays. "It's frustrating to me that theWSIBhad this for all this time."

"This [information] hasn't been disclosed before. I mean, it would be helpful in reaching some of the mine workers to let them know these were the areas where it was used."

Martell now hopes to reach out to anyone who worked at these sitesor their families.

"There is alarge portion of the mine workers who were exposed to this [powder] who are already deceased. So when you're looking at the spouses,children or grandchildren, who may have known that their dad, their grandfather or their uncle worked at a particular mine, then we might be able to sort out whether it was likelythat they were exposed to McIntyre Powder or not."

Recent statistics from the Occupational Cancer Research Centre,show 27,500 workers in Ontario were exposed to the aluminum dustbetween1943and 1980.

Martellsays she plans to hold a couple of public information sessions in Elliot Lake and Timmins early in 2018to provide miners and their families with some of the research she has uncovered.

"It's really important to me to ensure that they are informed."