If we're to believe a new report from the Fraser Institute, Canadians can breathe easy when it comes to air pollution. According to the conservative think tank, air quality in Canada has generally improved since 1970, so why worry about it?
There is no "safe" threshold for exposure to key pollutants. Current levels of air pollution take a toll on human health. The Canadian Medical Association estimates that in single year air pollution in Canada is responsible for 21,000 deaths, 11,000 hospital admissions, 92,000 trips to the emergency room and 620,000 doctor's office visits. The associated economic costs are pegged at $8 billion and rising... up to $250 billion by 2031 as Canada's population ages and becomes more vulnerable to the effects of air pollution.
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The Fraser Institute attacks Canada's doctors for projecting increasing health and economic costs of air pollution on the basis of current (2008) air quality measures. Air quality might improve in the future, say the report's authors, and if it does, the costs to human health will be lower.
That would be nice, but it will take concerted action to ensure continuous improvement in air quality for all Canadians. While air quality in many parts of the country has improved since the 1970s as a result of previous interventions, progress has slowed or stalled in recent decades. Environment Canada indicators for two key smog-forming pollutants show that fine particulate matter concentrations since 2000 have not moved consistently or significantly either up or down, while Canadians' exposure to ground level ozone increased between 1990 and 2006. (Source: Air Quality Indicators).
Moreover, the Fraser Institute report ignores the potential for rising emissions from certain sectors. Projected growth of the oil sands, for example, will cause air quality to deteriorate if we don't take action.
(This is perhaps no surprise. The Fraser Institute has a history of trying to downplay the seriousness of environmental problems and discouraging solutions. The Institute has argued that second-hand cigarette smoke isn't a serious health concern and that cutting back on use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to save the ozone layer would not be worthwhile because it would require "large sacrifices on the part of everyone.")
In 2006, a David Suzuki Foundation analysis showed that Canada's air quality objectives were generally less protective than those of leading jurisdictions. Unfortunately, this remains true today. Canada's air quality regime is overdue for an update. There is a glimmer of hope: federal and provincial environment ministers have committed to developing a new air quality management system for Canada. This new system needs to strengthen Canadian air quality standards in line with leading international standards and introduce credible controls on industrial emissions and other key sources. And it needs to be implemented now.
I find myself agreeing with Prime Minister Harper, who said in 2006: "Poor air quality isn't just a minor irritant to be endured. It is a serious problem that poses an increasing risk to the health and well-being of Canadians."
The only problem is, the prime minister has yet to follow through on the commitment he made at the time to introduce a new regulatory framework for air emissions.