December is here, and with the approaching holiday season and year’s end comes a natural tendency to reflect on the past 12 months.  Many of us enjoy a change of pace over the holidays, so why not use some of that well-deserved downtime to catch up on any radon developments you may have missed?

CARST rang in 2017 with Conference preparations in full swing. For all those who joined us in Banff in April, it was a conference that will not soon be forgotten.  Beautiful surroundings, delicious food, engaging presentations, and of course – the Radon Olympics!  CARST 2017 also saw the introduction of a Conference field trip; a hugely popular addition to the Program that will be repeated this year in Ottawa. 

2017 also saw the creation of the Arthur G. Scott Achievement Award, presented in its inaugural year to Dr. Dana Schmidt of Castelgar, British Columbia for his radon advocacy and tireless work to enact change at the municipal and provincial level. Dr. Schmidt is an outstanding example of the many people whose lives have been affected by radon, who work so passionately as advocates and voices for change.

The summer months brought several changes to CARST. The first was the inclusion of all C-NRPP professionals as CARST members and the start of aligning expiry dates to July 1. Membership with CARST offers many advantages to all radon professionals, and CARST grows stronger with each new member.

Summer also marked the beginning of CARST’s Monthly Webinar series.  The webinars got off to a great start in August on the topic of Social Media. Since then we’ve covered Radon Awareness, the Tarion Home Warranty Program, and checked-in coast to coast for Radon Action Month. Our first French webinar took place in November, with a special focus on Quebec initiatives. You can catch up on all our webinars on the CARST website.

Speaking of the CARST website, it got a whole new look this year! Our website is a gold mine of radon-related resources for homeowners and professionals alike.  Not sure where to start? Our December webinar is our gift to you: access it on-demand for a comprehensive tour of the new CARST website, including the members-only section. Who knows what else you might be missing?

Throughout the year CARST has proudly launched several new public awareness campaigns. Unmasking the Faces of Lung Cancer  offers those affected by lung cancer a place to share their story. The Radon Reduction Sweepstakes, offered in partnership with Take Action on Radon, aims to encourage homeowners to mitigate their homes by offering them the chance to win $1000 off the cost of their mitigation system. Finally, just for CARST members, we’ve got the Radon Awareness Photo Contest! Send us a picture of your radon awareness initiative or promotion from November 2017 through January 2018 and you’ll be entered into the draw to win a FREE Conference registration for CARST 2018! Deadline is January 31, so don’t delay!

On behalf of everyone here at CARST, we wish you a safe and happy holiday season, and all the best in the year to come.  With the central location of the 2018 Conference, we hope to catch up with many of you in Ottawa in April.  If not, we hope to catch up with you virtually at one of our monthly webinars. Stay in touch!