Asbestos removed from Fort Erie Public Library’s Centennial branch
September 10, 2026 at 5:04 AM
The Town of Fort Erie says no one was exposed to asbestos at the Fort Erie Public Library’s Centennial branch, and the branch will stay open as contractors remove it.
Contractors are removing Type 3 asbestos–the highest hazard category under Ontario’s asbestos regulation–from three rooms in the library. Asbestos causes cancer only when its fibres are breathed in, usually over years, but Health Canada says there is no safe level of exposure.
“No confirmed exposure has been identified through the assessments conducted,” the town told Fort Erie Radio in a written statement. “The affected work areas are controlled, and appropriate precautions are being implemented by the qualified abatement contractor to prevent exposure.”
Pictured here is the interior of the Centennial branch in 2020 when COVID-19 protocols were in effect. Credit: Fort Erie Public LibraryThe town’s Infrastructure Services department said the project is expected to finish in the first week of October. The work follows a 2025 complaint about asbestos in the building that led to orders from Ontario’s Ministry of Labour.
Superior Insulation Services Inc. received the contract, valued at $24,458.
The town said it planned the work with library administration to limit the effect on services.
“We do not expect significant disruption of programs or services,” said Fort Erie Public Library CEO Jen Kendall.
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Andrew Hawlitzky
Andrew is a Niagara community journalist who has covered everything from local politics to annual festivals and breaking news. He works to make local news a platform where community voices lead the conversation. "If you don't like the news, go out and make some!"
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