June 10, 2006, Richmond Hill Liberal – News
Politicians fiddle while smog increases
Serena Willoughby
The smog that hung over York Region last Monday and Tuesday wasn't as thick as the rhetoric at Wednesday's seventh annual GTA Smog Summit in Toronto.
Provincial and municipal leaders, including representatives from York Region, gathered for what organizer Eva Ligeti called a "mini-Kyoto".
The aim was to outline what the GTA is doing to conserve energy, reduce emissions and, ultimately, reduce smog.
Anti-idling programs, installing energy-saving devices in municipal buildings and putting cash in public transit were discussed and, while they are good steps, they are only a small improvement toward solving climate change -- the root cause of smog.
With the GTA on course to experience one of its worst smog summers yet, what is needed is large-scale, dramatic actions. But good luck finding them. Even Markham Councillor Erin Shapero admitted most municipalities are undertaking programs that "seem kind of basic".
The few that did seem big on innovation fell short in terms of results.
For example, regional Councillor Mario Ferri touted a Vaughan program aiming to help manufacturers identify how they're contributing to air pollution and help them find ways to curb emissions.
While this is innovative, only three manufacturers in Vaughan have shown interest in it and the city won't say who they are since their participation is "still in its infancy". In other words, no one has officially signed up yet.
Politicians also bragged about programs such as Viva rapid transit that, while major, are dated. Viva began rolling out almost a year ago, so why is it still being touted?
Meanwhile, many municipalities have volunteer-run resident groups, usually including a town representative, pushing environmental initiatives.
Newmarket regional Councillor Tony Van Bynen touted the group in his town, but how can a municipality rest on volunteer work when policy makers should be leading the way?
While many initiatives fall short in terms of reducing smog, one advantage of the summit is sharing ideas, Richmond Hill Councillor Elio Di Iorio said. One such idea is a climate change declaration, prepared at the municipal leaders climate change summit in December, brought by Ms Shapero.
Unlike the meatless declaration signed at the summit Wednesday, it establishes real targets for municipalities that would create real results.
Meeting the targets would not require massive spending, Mr. Di Iorio said, but changes in "building, bylaws and legislation".
That in itself is major, but it would improve air quality and reduce childhood asthma and smog-related deaths. The reaction? So far, other delegates asked for a copy to consider.
In her speech to delegates, Ms Ligeti claimed there were 1,100 deaths in the GTA last year due to air pollution and 48 smog alert days.
Even if her statistic is hard to prove, it's time for a smog summit to produce something other than hot air.
