The Canadian federal government has decided to recognize and compensate veterans who volunteered for secret chemical warfare tests held in Suffield, Alberta and Ottawa primarily during World War II. Eligible veterans will each be offered a payment of $24,000 in recognition of their service to Canada. The payment is in addition to other pension benefits for which the veterans are eligible.
Chemical Warfare Tests
During World War II, Canada was building defences to chemical warfare and used Canadian military volunteers as test subjects for experiments with mustard gas and other chemical warfare agents. The experiments were designed to test protective clothing and ointments, and also to assess the different effects of the chemical agents. The chemical warfare tests took place at the Defence Research Establishment in Suffield, Alberta and at the Chemical Warfare Laboratory in Ottawa. About 3500 volunteers were involved.
The soldiers were not told that they were to be used as human guinea pigs, just that they were participating in a top-secret assignment. Volunteers received better food, extra leave and an extra 50 cents a day over a period of six weeks.
In his report on chemical agent testing during World War II, National Defence Ombudsman André Marin says long-term conditions suffered by veterans of the Canadian chemical warfare tests could include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, infertility and cancer.
Chemical Test Compensation Program
To be eligible for the Chemical Warfare Agent Testing Recognition Program, a veteran must
If the veteran is deceased, surviving beneficiaries may be eligible.
To get an application form, call
1-800-883-6094 (Monday to Friday 8 am to 4 pm EST)
or email
recognition-application@forces.gc.ca
Veterans may still apply for and continue to receive disability pension benefits.
