Approximate indications of where elevated levels of heavy metals are located in the Capital Regional District.

The Healing City Soils Program gathered information on soil heavy metal levels in Greater Victoria from hundreds of soil samples taken in residential and community gardens from 2016 to 2024. The areas of this map represent the conditions at the time of collection. This map is intended to provide a general indication of where elevated levels of metals in soil may be present. Using this map, individuals and communities can grow food safely and assess whether to investigate additional information on area-wide soil health.

The Soil Quality map and its use.

This map should not substitute for a site-specific assessment. Not all the areas identified on the map will have elevated levels of metals in soil and some properties outside of the identified areas may have elevated levels of metals in soil.

The Healing City Soils project provides this information with the understanding that it is not guaranteed to be accurate, correct, or complete and conclusions drawn from such information are the responsibility of the user. The Healing City Soils project assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy, correctness and timeliness of materials presented anywhere within these pages. The areas depicted by these maps are approximate and are not necessarily accurate to surveying or engineering standards.

For more information regarding the data, collection and analysis methods, and the results, please contact [email protected]. Click here to learn more about the Healing City Soils Program.

Click the arrow icon at the top left-hand corner to view the Map Details and Legend.

CCME Soil Quality Guidelines for the Protection of Environmental and Human Health

Heavy Metal	Concentration (mg/kg dry weight) for agricultural land use	Concentration (mg/kg dry weight) for residential/parkland land use
Arsenic	12	12
Cadmium	1.4	10
Chromium	64	64
Copper	63	63
Lead	70	140
Mercury	6.6	6.6
Nickel	45	45
Zinc	250	250

According to the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME), soil with contaminants that do not exceed the guideline levels will provide a healthy functioning ecosystem for current and future uses.

Source: Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines.