Border Air Quality Strategy
Government Actions
The Canada-United States Border Air Quality Strategy, announced June 26, 2003, reflects a continued cooperative effort to reduce air pollution in North America, and builds upon previous agreements under the 1991 Canada-United States Air Quality Agreement.
Under the Border Air Quality Strategy Canada and the United States agreed to increase their cooperation to reduce cross-border air pollution by jointly undertaking three pilot projects that enable greater opportunities for coordinated air quality management between both countries. The three projects that were announced under the Strategy are:
- The Great Lakes Basin Airshed Management Framework;
- The Georgia Basin/Puget Sound International Airshed Strategy; and
- A study on the feasibility of emissions trading for nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur dioxide (SO2).
The Great Lakes Basin has many sources that contribute to both domestic and transboundary air quality issues. The pilot project will benefit border residents in Canada and the United States mainly by enhancing information exchange. Both countries will share scientific results on air quality and human health issues, examine policy and regulatory frameworks and identify opportunities for early actions that lead to improved air quality. A key element of the Great Lakes Basin Airshed Management Framework pilot project will be to examine the feasibility of joint airshed management, beginning in the Southeast Michigan/Southwest Ontario region.
