What should I do about asbestos tile in my Toronto basement built before 1990?

If your Toronto home was built before 1990 and has original floor tiles in the basement, there is a significant probability they contain asbestos — and you must have them tested by a certified laboratory before disturbing them in any way. Asbestos-containing floor tiles that are intact and in good condition are generally safe to leave in place, but the moment you start breaking, grinding, cutting, or removing them, you release microscopic asbestos fibres into the air that are extremely hazardous to your health.

Asbestos was commonly used in 9-inch by 9-inch vinyl floor tiles and their black adhesive ("cutback" adhesive) in homes built from the 1930s through the mid-1980s across the GTA. The most common asbestos-containing tile is vinyl asbestos tile (VAT), which typically contained 10–25% chrysotile asbestos mixed into the vinyl binder. The tiles themselves are not dangerous while intact — asbestos is hazardous only when its fibres become airborne, which happens when tiles are broken, sanded, scraped, or cut. The black adhesive used to install these tiles often contains asbestos as well, so even if the tiles test negative, the glue underneath might not.

The first step is professional testing. Collect a sample of the tile and adhesive (or hire a professional to do it) and send it to an accredited laboratory for analysis. In the GTA, asbestos testing costs $25–$50 per sample at labs like EMSL, Bureau Veritas, or Pinchin. You'll want to test both the tile itself and the black adhesive underneath. Results typically take 3–5 business days. If you prefer not to handle the material yourself, an environmental consultant will come to your home, take samples, and provide a written report for $200–$500.

If the tiles test positive for asbestos, you have three options for your basement renovation:

Option 1: Encapsulate and cover (recommended in most cases). If the tiles are in good condition — not cracked, crumbling, or peeling — you can leave them in place and install new flooring directly over them. This is the safest and most cost-effective approach. Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) can be installed with a floating click-lock system directly over the existing tile with an appropriate underlayment. Plywood or a subfloor system like DRIcore can also be laid over asbestos tile to create a new, clean surface. The asbestos remains safely encapsulated beneath the new floor, undisturbed and harmless. This approach costs roughly $3,000–$10,000 for new flooring over a typical basement and avoids the $5,000–$15,000+ cost of professional removal.

Option 2: Professional abatement (removal). If the tiles are in poor condition, if you need to access the concrete underneath for plumbing work (such as installing a bathroom rough-in), or if you're underpinning the basement, the tiles must be professionally removed by a licensed asbestos abatement contractor. Ontario Regulation 278/05 under the Occupational Health and Safety Act governs asbestos removal, and the work must follow strict protocols including containment, negative air pressure, HEPA filtration, proper disposal, and air clearance testing. Professional abatement for a basement full of asbestos tile costs $5,000–$15,000 in the GTA depending on the area, tile condition, and disposal requirements.

Option 3: Partial removal where needed. If only a portion of the floor needs to be disturbed — for example, cutting a trench for bathroom plumbing — a professional abatement crew can remove tiles in the affected area only, while the remaining tiles are encapsulated under new flooring. This hybrid approach minimizes cost while addressing the specific areas that must be accessed.

Never attempt to remove asbestos tile yourself. DIY asbestos removal is illegal in Ontario for most types of asbestos work, it exposes you and your family to serious health risks including mesothelioma and asbestosis, and improper disposal of asbestos waste carries fines of up to $100,000 under Ontario environmental regulations. Similarly, never sand, grind, or use power tools on suspected asbestos tile — even briefly. The fibres released are invisible and remain airborne for hours, contaminating the entire house. Your basement renovation contractor should be experienced with pre-1990 GTA homes and should ask about asbestos testing before starting any demolition work.