REGINA, Sask. — Fluoridation of Regina’s drinking water is set to begin next year as water advocates urge the city to reconsider its decision.
Malia Carson, vice-chair of Regina Safe Water Advocates (RSWA), said the hydrofluorosilicic acid the city plans to add could contribute to the presence of additional chemicals in drinking water.
“It increases lead leaching into drinking water compared to unfluoridated water, even diluted to levels that are considered optimal levels across Canada.”
Regina city council originally approved adding fluoride to city water in 2021 once upgrades to the Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant (BPWTP) were completed.
However, in 2025, Ward 10 Coun. Clark Bezo brought forward a motion to reconsider the decision from 2021. His motion was ultimately defeated after a lengthy debate, with dozens of delegates raising concerns about the potential risks of adding fluoride.
Carson also cited a study she said was conducted by the City of Thunder Bay, which showed that adding unbuffered hydrofluorosilicic acid at a concentration of 0.7 ppm caused the greatest amount of lead leaching.
The report noted that adding 0.7 ppm of hydrofluorosilicic acid to water over a period of 312 hours led to nearly 180 micrograms per litre of lead.
Regina plans to add fluoride at a target concentration of 0.7 milligrams per litre, equivalent to 0.7 parts per million, the same numerical concentration Carson cited from the Thunder Bay study.
But Carson said the potential risks of fluoride extend beyond chemical exposure, pointing to a study suggesting a possible association between prenatal fluoride exposure and lower IQ scores.
In a 2019 JAMA Pediatrics prospective Canadian birth cohort study, researchers found that a one mg/L increase in water fluoride concentration was associated with a 5.29-point lower full-scale IQ score and a 13.79-point lower performance IQ score among boys and girls combined.
However, the study did not establish a causal link between fluoride and lower IQ scores; it reported an association.
Studies on the subject drew the attention of Health Canada in 2023, which commissioned an independent systematic review.
“Based on several considerations, the panel agreed there is not a sufficient basis at this time to recommend a specific point of departure and health-based value for neurocognitive effects,” the report said.
Based on Health Canada’s recommendation, the City of Regina said it will follow guidelines and assess relevant information once fluoride is added to the water by mid-to-late 2027.
“City administration and Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant will continue to monitor all relevant information related to drinking water, including fluoride, to ensure all requirements for both drinking water and the environment are being met, and that the water continues to be safe to drink.”
Despite the city’s assurances that Regina’s drinking water is safe, the RSWA is pursuing legal action against the city.
“We've been co-ordinating with some other national organizations, including Fluoride Free Canada. And we are basically documenting our mounting evidence showing a lack of due diligence by local officials. We are putting together everything that we're going to need in case we have to actually take this to an official legal challenge,” Carson said.
The organization has also requested a formal environmental assessment from the Ministry of Environment on the impact of fluoride discharged through wastewater into the Qu’Appelle River.
“Fluoride can act as an enzymatic toxicant with potential for bioaccumulation in sediments and the aquatic food chain. Scientific literature indicates toxicity to freshwater ecosystems, particularly in softer waters, even at relatively low concentrations. These discharges have not been comprehensively assessed for cumulative impacts,” the request notes.
Carson said the organization is waiting to hear whether the ministry will look into the matter.
