Redefining a
the 4th largest polluted city in the
Breath of Fresh
Air in Toronto
1 power plants are the leading causes of air
A look at Air Pollution in Toronto,
the Government’s inaction, and
how the environment and our
bodies are wreaking the pain.
Did you know that Toronto is
one of the most polluted cities in the
world? Every time you take a breath of
air in the city your body becomes filled
with toxic chemicals. After a 10-year
study, Toronto has been established as emit more than 10 tons annually, are
required to report. Canada’s National
world when compared to 27 major cities Pollutant Release Inventory, an agency
1
worldwide. Followed by New York, that provides information on pollutants in
Beijing, and Los Angeles, Toronto is the air, requires that only the largest
considered a mass environmental emitters in the city need to report. This
straggler rather than an environmental leaves the city with thousands of other
leader. emitters that continue to release large
amounts of toxins into the air. Smallen
What is causing our city to be so
noted that only 3% of polluters are
polluted? The burning of fossil fuels and
required to submit paperwork, which
toxic gas emissions from industry and
accounts for less than 25% of Toronto
emissions. This leaves the polluters that
pollution. Downtown driving and the
do not have to report continuing to
lack of laws to reduce harmful emissions
produce three quarters of our city’s air
in Toronto are causing unnatural toxins to
pollution.
flood the air. According to a report by
Global News’ Sean Smallen last The long-term effects of
Wednesday, there are 11,000 pollutant pollution are the developments of smog
emitters in the city and only those that and acid rain, which pose a hazardous
1
Star, Toronto. "Clear targets needed to cut impact on the environment and the
emissions." Daily Mercury (Guelph, Ont.). 13 Oct
2006. A11. eLibrary. Proquest. 09 Feb 2007.
<http://elibrary.bigchalk.com/canada>.
human body.2 Even though humans are an organization created to protect our As the government is the central
the environmental culprits, the environment, the government does not power holder in today’s society, the TEA
government has the ultimate power to realize that the organization is not group is calling on the government to
improve the Canadian environment. effective. Hartmann explains that the raise regulations on greenhouse gas
Rules need to be set to enforce those of Clean Air Act plans to engage in three emissions coming from vehicles,
the automobile and power plant more years of discussion before solutions industry, and power plants in Toronto.
industries to reduce emissions. are fulfilled. Hartmann argues that there Since Toronto has made the decision to
has been a decade of talk about ban indoor pollution (cigarette smoke),
According to the Toronto
implementing solutions, though since no TEA believes that the government has
Environmental Alliance (TEA), a group
real action has been taken, the air just the power to restrict hazardous outdoor
devoted to finding solutions to Toronto’s
keeps deteriorating. The government’s pollution. This year, TEA has requested
environmental problems, the government
inaction is actually making Toronto’s air that both the provincial and federal
is not living up to its responsibilities.
quality problems worse. governments restrict the emission of
TEA’s energy campaigner Dr. Franz
greenhouse gases that are decaying the
Hartmann explains “4,500 Torontonians
air. Plus, they are advocating for a
will die prematurely due to smog over
greener public transit system and
the next three years.”3 While the
demanding limits to urban sprawl. The
government supports the Clean Air Act,
group is also promoting the use of green
2
“Air pollution kills thousands each year: Health cars and green energy to replace
Canada.” CBC News, Toronto, 2006
<http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2005/05/02/airpollut 2 hazardous chemicals coming from
ion050502.html>.
3
Winesberg, Harry. “Clean Air Act Press Release.” nuclear plants.
Toronto Environmental Alliance 19 Oct 2006. 22 Jan
2007 <http://www.torontoenvironment.org/node/3>.
 Last October, TEA’s annual air
quality report concluded that Toronto’s
air quality level is currently rated a
‘D.’ This study measured air pollution in
areas across the city to identify where
improvements have been made and what
problems are still to be resolved. On a
positive account, the study found that the
number of green vehicles have increased
in Toronto, although there are still not
enough to make a significant change to
the air quality. The report concluded that
Toronto is lacking in an effort to obtain
greener sources of energy. Solutions that
need to be implemented include the use
of wind and solar power, the reduction of
pollutant emissions, and the promotion of
a bike and pedestrian-friendly Toronto.4
4
Winesberg, Harry. “Clean Air Act Press Release.”
Toronto Environmental Alliance 19 Oct 2006. 22 Jan
2007 <http://www.torontoenvironment.org/3/print>.
3
A recent article in the Toronto
Star explained that Toronto’s poor
environmental situation is a top
priority for 2007: a year where solutions
need to be fulfilled. Why is this the year
of change? Green activists explain that
public concern is high as air pollution is
worse then ever before. While the
current conservative government is now
showing that they want to take action,
green activists are pushing the idea that
changes need to be made soon. These
activists along with the TEA group are
currently calling on all levels of
government to execute change.
Specifically, they are requesting that the
Harper Government make some clear
targets to cut emissions, set a date to
which auto companies make reductions,
and most essentially create a clear
timeline.5
Green activists have argued for
many years that the government is not
only ignoring the issue, but is fooling
citizens into believing that change is
being made. Since it is expensive for the
government to physically clean the air,
green activists believe that the
government merely promotes the idea
that they are cleaning up the environment
5
Gorrie, Peter. “2007: The Environment’s Time.”
Toronto Star 8 Jan 2004: C5.
(via ad campaigns) in order to conceal
their inaction. Activists conclude that it
costs less to promote an ad campaign
than it does to do the dirty work. For
example, Shell Canada continuously
promotes itself as an environmentally
friendly business, when in reality the
company constantly harms the
environment though the production of
heavy sour crude.
4
After decades of promises from
the federal government to make positive
changes to the environment, no action
has been taken. Last year with the
election of Stephen Harper to Prime
Minister change began to seem hopeful,
as he described his plan to turn the
environment around like Brian
Mulrooney did in the past. After a year
of talk, real action has not been taken.
Even though the Harper government has
addressed the environment as a top
priority alongside taxes and crime, it is
being put off.
Currently, government officials
are having prolonged debates with
automakers about emission reduction.6
Last October, Harper met with auto
executives to discuss emission
regulations, although they could not
come to a conclusive decision. During
their debate automakers tried to convince
6
Chartrand, Fred. “Harper says environment to be
priority in 2007.” Canadian Press, Ottawa, 2006
<http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/articlenews/story/ctvnews
/20061219/harper_yearend_061219?s_name=&no>
him that the auto industry needs time to
adjust, and now it seems as though they
have won.7
While automakers are prolonging
inaction, they are not the only ones to
blame for the lack of environmental
cleanup. The government continues to
step back because of the cost of having to
rebuild the environment. While it is true
that the government will need to spend
significant funds to clean up the air, they
need to realize that by not taking action
now, problems are going to continue to
get worse and more expensive in the
future. By not implementing change
now, air pollution will increase and more
people will get sick. According to a
recent study by the Ontario Medical
7
Star, Toronto. "Clearing the air on Clean Air Act;
All emissions are not the same Older autos are major
contributors." Toronto Star. 28 Oct 2006. G25.
eLibrary. Proquest. 09 Feb 2007.
<http://elibrary.bigchalk.com/canada>.
Association, “air pollution costs
Ontario more than one billion dollars
a year in hospital admissions as a
result of illnesses triggered by air
8
pollution.” Thus, it is already costing
the government billions by ignoring the
problem.
5 pollution annually in Canada, which is
Toronto’s poor air quality not
only floats outside Toronto streets but
within the bodies of Canadians. While
harmful chemicals increasingly interrupt
the ecosystem and dangerously cause
8
Environment Canada. “Air pollution is linked to
varying degrees to a number of health concerns.”
Canada’s Clean Air Act, 2006.
temperature change, rates of illness are 2,000 early deaths and 6,000 hospital
also increasing. Greenhouse gases, admissions in 2006. This is an increase
smog, and the burning of fossil fuels, are from the previous study in 2002 that
three major cancer-causing pollutants calculated a rate of 1,400 early deaths
that leave thousands of Torontonians and 5,500 hospital admissions.11
dead each year.9 In 2005, Health Canada
reported that air pollution is the leading
cause of death in Canada when
compared to other fatal reasons such as
cancer, vehicle accidents, and skin and
viral diseases. Health Canada’s 2006 6
report concluded that approximately
So what exactly in the air is
5,900 deaths are attributed to air
killing Canadians? According to a recent
health study conducted by Health
slightly higher than the estimated 5,000
Canada, tiny airborne particles are the
deaths recognized by the study in 2002.10
culprits. Scientifically titled PM 2.5,
In Toronto alone, there were nearly
these particles are made up of invisible
9
Ferguson, Alan. "A ton of Canadians will agree pieces of dust that come from a
with this crackdown on toxic chemicals." Vancouver
Province. 12 Dec 2006. A20. eLibrary. Proquest. 09 combination of vehicle, power plant, and
Feb 2007. <http://elibrary.bigchalk.com/canada>.
10 11
Health Canada. “Air Pollution kills estimated “Tiny air pollutants linked to heart disease.” CBC
5,900 Canadians every year.” Health Canada News News, Toronto, 2007
Release, Ottawa 2006 <http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc- <http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/01/31/particul
asc/media/nr-cp/2006/2006_32_e.html>. ates-heart.html?ref=rss#skip300x250>.
industry pollutants. These particles cling
to toxic gases in the air, and once
breathed in, they attach to the blood
vessels and the lungs and cause
inflammation. Contact with these
particles will aggravate the respiratory
and cardiovascular systems, which can
lead to breathing problems and heart
disease.12
A study by the Environmental
Defence Department, a company that
researches the quality of the environment
and public health, tested six adults and
seven children to measure the amount of
toxic chemicals within their bodies.
After testing a urine and blood sample
from each person, between 40 and 50
industrial chemicals were found within
the adults while even higher levels
12
“Tiny air pollutants linked to heart disease.” CBC
News, Toronto, 2007
<http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/01/31/particul
ates-heart.html?ref=rss#skip300x250>.
were found in the children. Executive
director of Environmental Defence, Rick
Smith, said quote “harmful pollutants
are contaminating the bodies of
Canadians no matter where they live,
how old they are, or where they
work.”13 Smith concluded that children
are more vulnerable than adults because
the toxins could disrupt hormonal
developments.
7 volunteered. The study surprisingly
After a year from which the
Environmental Defences’ study was
13
Favaro, Avis. “Pollutions tiniest toxins get trapped
in body.” CTV News, Toronto, 2003
<http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/articlenews/story/ctvnews
/1053386040554_32/hub=ctvnews>
released, the statistics did not seem to
push the Harper government to think
twice about their environmental inaction.
As a solution, last month the
Environmental Defence Department
came up with a study to make the
effects of air pollution hit the
politicians close to home. In order to
ultimately capture the Harper
government’s attention, the study was
created to measure the bodies of four
federal politicians for 103 different
pollutants. NDP leader Jack Layton,
Liberal MP John Godfrey, Environment
Minister Rona Ambrose, and Health
Minister Tony Clement favourably
concluded that each politician had
between 50 and 55 chemicals trapped
within their bodies. This study
inevitably confirmed Environmental
Defence Minister Rick Smith’s statement
that pollution affects everyone.
According to Smith, Environmental
Defence is hopeful that these results will
grab the Harper government’s attention
to finally rid harmful substances in the
14
air Canadians breathe. While this study
confirms the hazardous affects of
polluted air on the body, these numbers
also come as an effective way to shock
politicians.
Earlier this month Harper made a
speech to the Canadian Council in
Ottawa admitting that after more than a
decade of inaction on improving air
quality, Canada is deteriorating. Harper
repeatedly admitted “Canada has one of
the worst records in the developed
14
Environmental Defence. “Pollutants Contaminate
Blood of Federal Politicians – Results show
pollutants found in the environment.” Environmental
Defence News Releases, Toronto 2007
<http://www.environmentaldefence.ca/toxicnation/pr
ess/viewnews.php?rd=3>.
world.”15 It is difficult to decipher
whether this statement should be viewed
as a move to improve the environment or
a sheer backlash against the previous
government. Harper went on to explain
that he understands the concerns of 8
Canadians and concluded that he
The prevention of air pollution is
promises to impose strict fuel efficiency
a team effort. Scientists and researchers,
standards for automobiles beginning
business leaders, legislators, and the
2011. But what about implementing
public need to get together to brainstorm
changes now? Why do we have to wait
and problem solve. As Harper has
so many years? Canadian politician
promised to not implement change for
David McGuinty criticized Harpers
four more years, we must rely on
promise by arguing, “this is an
ourselves as citizens to improve the
opportunity or an attempt by the
environment. However, it is becoming
Prime Minister to buy time and give
difficult to rely on us to make efficient
the impression he is doing something
decisions. Environmental regulatory
meaningful.”16
agencies consistently advocate the use of
15
Chartrand, Fred. “Harper Rolls out Tory alternative fuels and alternative
Governments new agenda.” Canadian press, Ottawa,
2007 <http://www.ctv.ca/2007205/harper_speech >. transportation such as walking, yet there
16
Chartrand, Fred. “Harper Rolls out Tory
Governments new agenda.” Canadian press, Ottawa,
2007 <http://www.ctv.ca/2007205/harper_speech >.
is still no groundbreaking change.17
According to Health Canada, the public
do not seem to be giving up their
SUV’s. Health Canada reports that more
people are driving sport-utility vehicles
18
more than ever before. So what is the
solution? As a mass of public
environmental cleaning becomes
unattainable, society needs the
government to enforce strict laws to
prevent air pollution.
All Canadians can do is wait for
the Harper government to implement
change. According to Toronto Scientist
Richard Peltier, if the Harper government
does not take action soon, Toronto and all
of Canada will lose its strength. He said
quote “It’s a very sad thing to
recognize, especially as Canadians,
17
Fulton, Jim. "BREATHING EASIER."
Alternatives Journal. 31 Jan 2002. p 36.
eLibrary. Proquest. 09 Feb 2007.
<http://elibrary.bigchalk.com/canada>.
because we pride ourselves on having
such a beautiful environment to live
in.”19 As Canadian citizens all we can do
is hope and anticipate that Toronto and
the rest of Canada will eventually
transform from an environmental
straggler to a healthy environmental
leader.
By: Kelly Foss
(250328894)
Toronto Star News writer
18
Health Canada. “Road Traffic and Air Pollution.”
Air Health Effects Division, Ottawa, 2005.
19 Wahl, Nicole. “Forecasting Earth’s Past and
Future.” News@UofT: Science and Technology 8
Nov 2004. 28 Jan 2007
<http://www.news.utoronto.ca/bin6/041108-
670.asp>.