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On June 24, 2010, the Air Quality Task Force (AQTF) for the Southwest Greater Toronto Area provided its report to the Minister of the Environment. The report contained 35 recommendations relating to improving air quality in the Oakville-Clarkson area.

The AQTF recommendations are directed to either the province, municipalities or industry and in many cases involve some sharing of responsibilities. The province has made significant progress towards implementing the recommendations. Many of the recommendations are underway through a wide range of provincial actions and a number of recommendations are being considered through Ontario’s participation in the development of a new national Air Quality Management System (AQMS). The work at the national level reflects the spirit of the AQTF’s recommendations and in many cases, to the exact letter. A summary of the province’s response follows. A detailed table outlining specific recommendations and responses can be found here.

Overview

The Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Energy, the Ontario Power Authority and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing have work underway on all recommendations where there is a provincial role. Examples include:

• Establishing an Inter-Ministry Action Team(AQTF Recommendation 3);
• Undertaking a review of the effectiveness of the current policy framework in addressing fine particulate matter (PM2.5) which will include an assessment of the need to revise the approach to direct emissions of PM2.5 (AQTF Recommendation 5);
• Releasing a report with the results of acrolein and VOC sampling in the Oakville-Clarkson area (AQTF Recommendation 7);
• Developing a new energy efficiency program for major energy users (AQTF Recommendations 11 and 12);
• Collaborating with the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care on the feasibility of implementing the AQHI across Ontario (AQTF Recommendation 17);
• Investing in public transit through the gas tax and other funding. The $11.5 billion MoveOntario commitment forms the foundation investment for Metrolinx Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) projects (AQTF Recommendation 31);
• Making public transit more accessible and easier to use by introducing the PRESTO integrated transit fare card, increasing parking at GO stations, installing bicycle-carrying racks on GO buses, and equipping GO stations with bicycle storage facilities (AQTF Recommendation 30);
• Opening more than 16 km of High Occupancy Vehicle lanes between Oakville and Burlington (Recommendation 24);
• Planting 12,375 trees and 1,460 shrubs along the QEW in the Oakville-Clarkson area (AQTF Recommendation 25);
• Promoting progressive vehicle emissions standards (AQTF Recommendation 32);
• Working with the federal government, other provinces and territories to develop a proposal for a new national Air Quality Management System (AQMS). Further details on the AQMS are provided below.

National Air Quality Management System (AQMS)

The Ministry of the Environment is currently working with the federal government and other provinces and territories on a proposal for a new national approach to air quality management called the Air Quality Management System (AQMS). As outlined below, work is underway to develop a detailed proposal for each element of the AQMS with the objective of beginning implementation in 2013. Many of the AQTF recommendations are similar to, or directly overlap with, elements of the new AQMS and will be considered through this work.

1. Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards (CAAQS)

New ambient air quality standards to protect human health and the environment are being developed, starting with the main constituents of smog, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3). These standards would replace and be more stringent than the existing Canada-wide Standards. Over time, ambient standards for other pollutants may also be developed. 

2. Base-Level Industrial Emissions Requirements (BLIERs)

The AQMS also includes developing proposals for new Base-Level Industrial Emissions Requirements (BLIERs) in major industrial sectors, initially covering sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOX), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and total particulate matter (TPM). BLIERs would ensure that all significant industrial sources in Canada, regardless of where facilities are located, meet a good base-level of environmental performance. Recommendations 6 and 8 focus on environmental standards and link directly to the development of the new CAAQS and BLIERs.

3. Air Zone Management

Air Zone Management is a place-based approach that would provide a framework for communities to be involved in actions to help manage air quality issues of concern at the local level.

The first recommendation of the AQTF was to implement an “Airshed Management System” (AMS) in Oakville Clarkson. That recommendation and a range of other recommendations such as new supporting policies (Recs. 2, 13, 34), local air information (Recs. 9, 14, 15, 16, 35) and local air management activities such as outreach and education activities (Rec. 20) and further emphasizing air quality within land-use planning decisions (Rec. 21), all directly link with the national air zone work underway. 

4. Regional Airsheds

Elevated ozone (O3) and PM2.5 levels in Ontario typically result from both long-range transport of pollutants from the United States and Ontario-based emissions of smog-causing pollutants. Transboundary pollutants can reach Ontario from hundreds of kilometres away and during a smog event can account for 50% of smog levels in the GTA and much more in Windsor and Sarnia. To help coordinate action on transboundary pollution, a system of regional airsheds would be established (together covering all of Canada) as part of the AQMS. The federal government would bring together the relevant jurisdictions within each of these airsheds. The goal would be to coordinate action to address transboundary air pollution from the United States and other provinces as recommended by the AQTF (Rec. 19).

5. Transportation Emissions

Ontario’s transportation sector accounts for a significant portion of smog causing emissions - approximately two-thirds, or 68 per cent, of NOX emissions, 36 per cent of VOC emissions and 23 per cent of PM2.5 emissions. The AQMS recognizes the critical importance of action on transportation emissions to achieve air quality outcomes. Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation is already making significant investments in Ontario’s transportation systems; however, as part of the AQMS the province would also need to collaborate with the federal government on tighter standards and increasing federal investments in cleaner transportation.