To all users of the IGA Stadium,
We are pleased to inform you that the clay courts will officially reopen to the public, as soon as February 23, 2026.
Over the past few months, numerous steps have been taken not only to inspect various indoor courts in Montreal, but also with regard to the HAR-TRU Grey/Green product used for the vast majority of tennis courts in Quebec and Canada. These steps led to the following conclusions:
Land inspection
After carrying out an exhaustive sampling of interior lands in the territory, the Montreal regional public health department determined that the presence of asbestos on the lands remains below the reference values for construction materials (less than 0.1%).
Produit HAR-TRU
To ensure better control of product conformity, Environment and Climate Change Canada and the company HAR-TRU have agreed on a series of measures to be respected. At the end of this commitment, the HAR-TRU Grey/Green product is once again available on the market and land operators in Quebec are authorized to use it.
Thus, since the public authorities have given the green light for the use of the product, the management of Stade IGA will work to prepare the grounds for their reopening on February 23.
Regional public health departments and provincial public health still recommend some protective measures, as a precautionary principle.
Our team actively collaborates with public health authorities and we inform you of the recommendations issued, particularly for the following areas:
More frequent humidification of the grounds to prevent the spread of dust in the air, both during play and maintenance tasks in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Increased protection of workers carrying out land maintenance on a regular basis.
To note: there are no specific measures having been issued by public authorities for athletes, coaches or amateur players since these people frequent the fields on a less regular basis. The risk assessment will continue in early 2026 and any new guidance or recommendations will be communicated to you. At any time, if you have any questions or concerns, you can write to us at receptionstadeiga@tenniscanada.com.
We are delighted with the reopening of our clay courts and we wish you an excellent winter season.
Sincerely,
The team of Stade IGA
Q&A
Is playing tennis on the clay courts at Stade IGA compliant and safe?
The steps taken in the fall concluded that the fields and the HAR-TRU Grey/green product used at Stade IGA comply with the regulatory framework.
The HAR-TRU Grey/Green product is once again available on the market and land operators in Quebec are authorized to use it.
Is there still a risk of exposure to asbestos?
The presence of asbestos on the land is possible, but assessments carried out in recent months have shown that the risk would be limited because asbestos levels remain below the reference values for construction materials (less than 0.1%). The study is continuing this winter in order to better document the situation and the risk.
Stade IGA will continue to deploy various measures to ensure that the courts and air quality continue to be compliant and that playing tennis remains safe.
Have any recommendations or guidelines been issued to the public by public authorities?
Public authorities have recommended that operators of clay courts inform users of the presence of possible traces of asbestos on the land or in the product used, even if the latter respects regulatory values.
In addition to this information approach, no specific measures have been issued by the public authorities for athletes, coaches or amateur players.
According to available information, these people practice, for the most part, on different types of surfaces and are not exposed daily or full time to clay courts. Their presence on this type of terrain remains occasional and intermittent, which limits cumulative exposure.
Additional measures for workers involved in grounds maintenance will, however, be deployed due to their regular presence on the courts and their tasks which expose them more directly to the product.
