Penticton, B.C. – June 3, 2026 – The City of Penticton has become the first municipality in British Columbia to formally join the Province's national class-action lawsuit targeting manufacturers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often referred to as "forever chemicals." This legal action, initiated by British Columbia in June 2024, aims to recover the substantial costs associated with detecting, monitoring, and removing these persistent contaminants from drinking water systems across Canada.

Attorney General Niki Sharma and Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield announced the collaboration today, emphasizing the importance of holding companies accountable for the environmental and health impacts of PFAS. "Municipalities are managing the real impacts of these chemicals every day," said Attorney General Sharma. "By working with the City of Penticton, we are strengthening this class action and making sure companies that created and profited from chemicals that are affecting our water systems are held accountable."

PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals found in a wide array of consumer products, including non-stick cookware, cleaning supplies, and water-resistant materials. They are dubbed "forever chemicals" due to their extreme persistence in the environment and the human body, where they can accumulate over time. Scientific evidence has linked PFAS exposure to serious health issues, such as certain cancers, thyroid problems, weakened immune systems, reproductive issues, and developmental problems in children.

Penticton has been a proactive leader in safeguarding its water supply, undertaking extensive testing and monitoring to protect residents and visitors from PFAS. Mayor Bloomfield stated, "Penticton is taking a proactive and responsible approach to protect our drinking water, now and into the future. Our water is safe, but the ongoing costs of monitoring and mitigating these forever chemicals is significant. By joining this action, we are helping ensure municipalities are not left to manage the long-term costs of these contaminants on their own."

British Columbia was the first province in Canada to launch legal action against PFAS manufacturers. The lawsuit, filed in the B.C. Supreme Court, seeks to recover costs on behalf of provincial, territorial, and municipal governments responsible for providing water services. The case is now proceeding to the certification stage, where the court will determine its eligibility as a class action. Penticton will serve as a representative plaintiff, ensuring the experiences and evidence of municipalities are robustly presented in court.

Minister of Health Josie Osborne underscored the health implications, noting, "The negative health effects of PFAS in water are real, and studies show that exposure to them has been linked to increased blood pressure, developmental impacts in children and even some cancers." Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Randene Neill added, "Forever chemicals contaminate rivers, lakes and groundwater for generations, and people in B.C. deserve polluters be held accountable."

This class action builds on B.C.'s track record of pursuing litigation against industries for widespread harm, including successful actions against tobacco, opioid, and vaping manufacturers to recover healthcare costs.