Air Quality in Atlantic Canada
Studies in the 1970's have identified the Atlantic Region as being a "smog-prone" region susceptible to elevated smog concentrations. The long-range transport (LRT) of air pollution is the single largest component that contributes to poor air quality events in Atlantic Canada. Air pollution can be transported downwind by as much as 800 kilometres in a single day and its precursors can remain aloft for a longer period and travel much further. Even though local emissions and production may be modest, transport of pollutants from distant locations such as the heavily populated and industrialized regions of the eastern United States, southern Ontario and Quebec can result in poor air quality in Atlantic Canada. Furthermore, scientific evidence verifies that poor air quality affects human health. Acute and chronic effects such as asthma and increased respiratory infections have been positively corrected with poor air quality. Recent medical studies have identified an increase in hospital admissions with deteriorating air quality.
Air Quality Forecast/Index
Air Quality Data
- http://atlantic-web1.ns.ec.gc.ca/airmons/index_e.cfm
- http://www.atl.ec.gc.ca/airquality/query/
- http://www.epa.gov/airnow/canada/
Air Quality Research
