Nuclear Awareness

Potassium Iodide (KI) pills

In the highly unlikely event of an accident at one of the stations, radioactive iodide may be released into the air. If that happens, KI pills can keep you and your family safe.

Attention: Residents living within 10 kilometres of the Pickering and Darlington nuclear generating stations.

You will receive replacement potassium iodide (KI) pills in the mail this year.
These new pills will replace those distributed in 2015, which are set to expire in 2027.
No action is required by residents, the new KI pills will be automatically delivered based on your address and postal code.

When you receive new KI pills, dispose of expired pills properly:

Bring the expired blister pack to your local pharmacy for safe disposal and recycle the outer box at home.
Never flush KI pills or any medication down the toilet, as this can harm water systems and the environment.

Learn more about emergency preparedness.

Who needs KI tablets?

Watch our public health inspectors discuss who is eligible to receive KI tablets.

If you live or work within 10 kilometres of a station, you need to have a supply of KI tablets. Anyone living within 50 kilometres of a nuclear generating station is eligible to receive KI tablets if they want to keep a supply on hand.

Visit preparetobesafe.ca and enter your postal code to find out if you are located within the eligible zone to receive KI tablets.

How does KI work and how many tablets do I need?

This fact sheet answers these questions and many more.

How to order KI tablets

The best way for most residents and businesses to order potassium iodide (KI) tablets is directly from the preparetobesafe.ca website.

If you need assistance in ordering your tablets, call the Durham Health Connection Line at 905-668-2020 or 1-800-841-2729 to speak with a public health inspector.

Getting KI tablets from a pharmacy

Five local pharmacies have partnered with the Health Department and have a limited supply of KI tablets for residents located within 10 kilometres of either the Pickering or Darlington nuclear generating station.

Limited quantities of KI tablets are available at the following pharmacies.
Residents can pick up their supply of KI tablets from one of the pharmacies below:
Bay Ridges Pharmacy 1794 Liverpool Rd., Unit 7 Pickering, ON L1V 4G1 905-839-1123	Pickering Medical Pharmacy 1885 Glenanna Rd. Pickering, ON L1V 6R6 905-831-8181	Liverpool Pharmacy 725 Krosno Blvd. Pickering, ON L1W 1G4 905-839-4300
Global Drug Mart Remedy's Rx 130 Waverley Rd. Bowmanville, ON L1C 3W9 905-623-2333	Courtice Pharmasave 2727 Courtice Rd. Courtice, ON L1E 3A2 905-432-8888

Resources

Watch our emergency preparedness videos KI information in other languages

Talk to a public health inspector

Call the Durham Health Connection Line at 905-668-2020 or 1-800-841-2729 to speak with a public health inspector.

Durham Nuclear Health Committee (DNHC)

DNHC is chaired by the Region's Commissioner & Medical Officer of Health. Membership of the DNHC consists of nine public members from Whitby, Oshawa, Ajax, Clarington and Pickering, who are appointed by Council; two representatives of Ontario Power Generation; and, four provincial/regional government representatives.

The DNHC acts as a forum for primarily discussing and addressing radiological emissions from nuclear facilities in Durham Region, to assess the potential environmental human health impacts.

The DNHC meets five times a year.

DNHC meetings, agendas, presentations and minutes.

Request archived DNHC agendas and minutes.

Meeting presentations

Effective April 20, 2023, all meeting presentations will be made available on the Council and Committee Meetings Calendar. PDF files for each presentation can be accessed using the addendum HTML link provided for each meeting. A video recording of meetings can be viewed using the webstreaming link provided approximately two weeks after each meeting.

Get more information about the DNHC and get your concerns addressed

For more information about the DNHC please email the Health Department.

Membership of the DNHC

Public Members
Name	Representing
Dr. Lubna Nazneen	Ajax
Deborah Kryhul	Clarington
Veena Lalman	Clarington
Dr. Seewoosunkur Gopaul	Pickering
Hardev Bains	Pickering
Jane Snyder	Whitby
Susan Ebata	Whitby
Alan Shaddick	Whitby
Bill Rattan	Whitby

Regional and Provincial Government Representatives

The Regional Municipality of Durham
Name	Email Address
Dr. Robert Kyle, Chair Commissioner & Medical Officer of Health	Robert.Kyle@durham.ca
Anthony Di Pietro Director, Health Protection Division	Anthony.DiPietro@durham.ca
Caitlyn Paget Manager, Health Analytics & Research	Caitlyn.Paget@durham.ca

Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Name	Email Address
Phillip Dunn	phillip.dunn@ontario.ca

Ontario Power Generation
Name	Email Address
Raphael McCalla	raphael.mccalla@opg.com
Loc Nguyen	loc.nguyen@opg.com

University of Ontario Institute of Technology
Name	Email Address
Dr. Kirk Atkinson	kirk.atkinson@ontariotechu.ca

Secretary
Name	Email Address
Dianne San Juan	Dianne.SanJuan@durham.ca

Committee resources and reports

Terms of Reference

Final revised terms of reference

Reports

Background information

In 1992, Ontario's Environmental Assessment Advisory Committee held public meetings regarding the suggested expansion of the Ajax Water Supply Plant and recommended that the Durham Nuclear Health Committee (DNHC) be established. After a full consultation with key stakeholders, Durham Regional Council created the DNHC in late 1995.