Is Radon a Problem in Cochrane, Alberta? What the Research Shows
By First Choice Radon · Updated October 21, 2026 · 9 min read
In a University of Calgary study of homes in Calgary and surrounding areas, Cochrane had the highest average radon of any area measured: 261 Bq/m³, above Health Canada’s 200 Bq/m³ guideline. This guide explains what the study found, how to read an area average, and what it means for your own building.
Bq/m³, Cochrane’s average in the University of Calgary study.
Bq/m³ is the Health Canada guideline. At or above it, reduce radon within a year.
homes measured in Calgary and surrounding areas from 2013 to 2016.
The short answer
Yes, radon is worth taking seriously in Cochrane. In a University of Calgary study of homes in Calgary and surrounding areas, Cochrane had the highest average radon of any area measured, at 261 Bq/m³. Health Canada’s guideline is 200 Bq/m³.
That does not mean every Cochrane building is above the guideline, and it does not mean yours is. An area average cannot tell you the level in one building. It is a strong reason to test, and a 91-day test is the only way to know your own number.
Cochrane counted 37,011 residents in its 2024 census and has grown about 5% a year since 2011, so a lot of buildings are in the picture.
What the study did and found
The University of Calgary study measured indoor radon in 2,382 homes in Calgary and surrounding areas between 2013 and 2016. It compared areas and looked at how building characteristics related to radon.
Overall
12.4% of the homes measured were at or above 200 Bq/m³, the point where Health Canada recommends action.
Cochrane
Cochrane had the highest average of any area measured, at 261 Bq/m³.
Okotoks and High River
Together they averaged 194 Bq/m³, also close to the guideline.
For reference, 261 Bq/m³ is about 7.1 pCi/L, since 1 pCi/L equals 37 Bq/m³. The guideline of 200 Bq/m³ is 5.4 pCi/L. Our guide to radon results explains the units.
How to read an area average
An average describes a group of buildings, not a single one. Keep these points in mind when you see a number like 261.
It is a starting point
Cochrane’s average shows radon is a real issue in the area. It is not a prediction for your address.
Buildings on one street can differ
Foundation, soil beneath it, openings in the floor and ventilation all vary from building to building.
Only a test gives your number
A 91-day test measures your building directly, which is why neighbours’ results cannot stand in for it.
This article does not claim to explain why Cochrane’s average was the highest. Radon depends on local soil and rock, how easily gas moves through the ground, and how each building draws on it.
Why radon levels differ from place to place
Radon forms when naturally occurring uranium in soil and rock breaks down. Three things decide how much of it ends up in the air you breathe.
Uranium in the ground
Some ground produces more radon than other ground.
How easily gas moves
Loose, permeable soil lets gas travel to a foundation more easily than dense soil.
How the building draws it
Cracks, drains, sump pits and gaps around pipes give soil gas a way in, and wind, weather and the way air moves through a building affect how strongly it is pulled.
Radon is a gas you cannot see, smell or taste, and it causes no symptoms. Health Canada calls it the second leading cause of lung cancer in Canada and the leading cause among people who have never smoked.
Newer buildings in Cochrane are not exempt
In the same study, buildings constructed from 1992 onward averaged about 31% higher radon than older ones. Many Cochrane buildings are recent, and the town has grown quickly, so this matters here.
Airtight construction can reduce the air exchange that lets radon leave, and age does not change the soil beneath a building. A newer building is not a safer building for radon.
Alberta’s building code requires a capped rough-in pipe in newly built homes. It is a head start, but it is only a pipe. It is not a working radon system until a fan is added, and many buildings, especially older ones, do not have one. Our rough-in guide explains what it means for you.
What the 2024 national survey adds
The 2024 Cross-Canada Survey of Radon is a more recent national dataset led by University of Calgary researchers. It gives regional context rather than a Cochrane figure.
Calgary metro
15.5% of homes were at or above 200 Bq/m³, about 1 in 6.
Alberta
16.7% of homes were at or above 200 Bq/m³.
Rural and urban
26.7% of rural homes in the Prairies and Northwest Territories were at or above 200 Bq/m³, against 15.9% of urban homes.
Rural properties around Cochrane have extra reason to test.
What to do in Cochrane
The path is the same for every building.
1. Test for 91 days
A C-NRPP certified professional places the detector and we explain your result. The test is $99.
2. Read the result
Compare it with 200 Bq/m³. Below it, no action is required. At or above it, plan to reduce radon within a year.
3. Get a written quote
If you need mitigation, we quote in writing. Our Cochrane cost guide explains the price. The $99 is reimbursed if you choose First Choice Radon.
After mitigation, retest to confirm the level dropped, and retest every five years.
Cochrane radon research questions
Is radon a problem in Cochrane?
In a University of Calgary study of homes in Calgary and surrounding areas, Cochrane had the highest average radon of any area measured, at 261 Bq/m³. That is a strong reason to test, but only a test shows the level in your own building.
Does 261 Bq/m³ mean my home is above the guideline?
No. It is an area average. Individual buildings can be above or below it, and only a 91-day test shows yours.
Is the Cochrane figure still current?
The study measured homes from 2013 to 2016. Radon varies from building to building and over time, which is why testing your own building matters, and why we advise retesting every five years.
My neighbour tested. Do I still need to?
Yes. A neighbouring result cannot tell you your own level, because foundation, soil and ventilation differ between buildings.
Are newer Cochrane buildings lower risk?
No. In the study, buildings constructed from 1992 onward averaged about 31% higher radon than older ones.
How much does a radon test cost in Cochrane?
A professional 91-day test is $99, reimbursed on a mitigation quote if you choose First Choice Radon.
What happens if my test is at or above 200 Bq/m³?
Health Canada recommends reducing radon within one year. We provide a written mitigation quote, and most systems are installed in about a day.
Test your Cochrane property
Based in Cochrane and serving nearby communities. Book a $99 91-day test, or ask for a mitigation quote. See our pages for Cochrane, Rocky View County, Calgary, Airdrie.
Sources: University of Calgary study (PMC); Cross-Canada Survey of Radon, 2024; Health Canada: Radon; Town of Cochrane: census.
More radon guides
Radon Test Results Explained: Bq/m³ and pCi/L
What your radon number means, the 200 Bq/m³ guideline, and what to do next.
September 30, 2026Radon Testing When Buying or Selling a Home in Alberta
When to test for radon in a sale, what Health Canada advises, and your options.
September 16, 2026Radon Rough-In in Alberta New Builds: Code Explained
What a capped radon pipe is, what Alberta’s code requires, and how to activate it.