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4.0 Public awareness and engagement

The importance of engaging the general public, governments and businesses in the smog issue was underscored in Ontario's 1998 Smog Plan. Awareness and engagement are underlying principles of the Smog Accord and the Plan itself, and are cited as essential in many of the partners' reduction plans.

The constituency developed through the Plan continues to build. ASAP provides the framework for continual expansion through engagement of more participants. New and expanded work groups include Commercial and Industrial Printing, Plastic Processing, Windshield Washer Fluid, Industrial Architectural and Maintenance Coating and Particulate Matter and Ozone (PM/O₃) Options Assessment.

The approach to public engagement is proven and is being maximized through the work of Ontario's stakeholders. The public engagement strategy utilizes three key initiatives to get people involved: Smog Alerts, mandatory vehicle inspection and maintenance, and activity-based advocacy. These activities are playing a substantial role in raising awareness.

In Ontario, new initiatives are under way, building on the past year's progress:

• The viability of an "Ontario Clean Air Foundation" has been examined by a consortium of government, industry and environmental and health non-government organizations.
• The Ministry of the Environment has increased its participation in and sponsorship of related air-quality events such as those held annually by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario. The MOE has been a major sponsor for Pollution Probe's Clean Air Commute, and is collaborating to promote and encourage cleaner ways to commute. The ministry leads the Ontario Public Service in participation in the Clean Air Commute.
• Environmental non-government organizations, such as Pollution Probe, Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA), Sierra Club and the Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy, and health organizations such as the Ontario Lung Association are playing a substantial advocacy and activity-based role in raising public and media awareness of the health problems created by smog.
• Smog Alerts are being promoted province-wide.

"Signing the Provincial Smog Accord will complement the goals and strategies of the renewed strategies and actions approved by the Region of Hamilton-Wentworth Council in Strategies for a Sustainable Community. The approach of the Anti-Smog Accord is consistent with the approach taken with the Hamilton-Wentworth Air Quality Initiative (HAQI)."
Terry Cooke
Regional Chairman
The Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth

Region of Hamilton-Wentworth Joins Anti-Smog Accord

The Region of Hamilton-Wentworth, a leader in air quality management, has recently signed the Anti-Smog Accord. The region has developed a baseline data inventory for 1990 and is preparing a Letter of Intent. VOC emissions are reported for 1994 at the region's monitoring stations (Beach Boulevard, Vickers/East 18th; Elgin/Kelly; Gertrude/Depew; Pier 26). Inhalable particulate (PM₁₀) baseline data for 1992 to 1994 are also available at four stations.

Ontario's Public Service stimulates province-wide Smog Alert Program

Crucially important to Ontario's strategy is the protection of vulnerable citizens and workers. The Ontario Public Service implemented a Bad Air Day Program (hereafter known as the Smog Alert Program) in the spring of 1998, which enables smog reduction and health protection measures to be taken on projected high ozone episode days.

In 1999, Smog Alerts, A Municipal Response Guide was developed in partnership with regional municipalities. It provides a template for implementing a Smog Alert response, including air quality information, a process to provide public health messaging and guidance for public response, and recommendations for local government agencies to reduce smog. The municipal guide also includes communication activities including media kits, and instructions for delegation of responsibilities and assignments.

The Ontario Realty Corporation (ORC), through the Green Workplace Office, in conjunction with the Management Board Secretariat has also developed a Green Workplace Program to focus smog reduction activities on publicly owned and operated facilities.

The ORC communicates the program to facility management staff, and promotes it in the government's internal newspaper. Focusing on actions to take when Air Quality Advisories are issued, bulletins included directions such as turning down air conditioning in facilities, suspending lawn cutting and non-essential travel, and curtailing use of products such as pesticides, herbicides, paints and solvents.

The result of this initiative is that staff and facility management are aware of the intent, the notification network and actions to take during an alert.

"The ASAP partnership allows all sectors to work together in their efforts toward meaningful pollution reduction initiatives. If we can all lead by example, we will be able to call for similar reductions in the flow of transboundary pollution and experience improved air quality for all Ontarians."
R. Ross Reid
President & CEO
Ontario Lung Association

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