Representatives from the Grade 9 and 10 Entrepreneurial team, Alya (‘25) and Lulin (‘25), had the opportunity to discuss their National Assembly-approved petition to ban polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) on CBC Radio’s “Let’s Go with Sabrina Marandola”! Listen to their segment here.

Why did our students decide to take on this issue? Human health and aquatic life are at stake. PFAs are synthetic chemicals that have long been used in consumer products, and are now present in our waterways. Some key facts:

They can’t break down in our bodies nor the environment. More than 99% of Canadians have been found to have traces of PFAS in their blood. This can lead to illness, hormone interference and obesity, among other conditions. 

Research has found that freshwater fish across the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes regions contain PFAS.

Environment Canada has only previously recognized small specific subsets of PFAS as “toxic” under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.

 

We’re so proud of our students for putting forth this critical petition to protect our health and aquatic life in the St. Lawrence River. This type of social action is what makes our Entrepreneurial Platform (EP) so special. With the guidance of EP coaches and valuable opportunities to engage in real-world experiences, students learn to identify and build strategies to solve issues that matter. Every initiative they launch is aligned with UN sustainable development goals. 

Special thanks to EP coach Ms. Ondine Hogeboom, EP Director Ms. Casey Sherriffs, Ms. Virginie Dufour, Official Opposition Critic for the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change, and Ms. Jennifer Maccarone, MNA for Westmount-Saint-Louis.