June 7, 2006, Toronto Sun

We all breathe 'total poor' air
Despite belief of poll respondents, smog is everywhere

Antonella Artuso, Queen's Park Bureau Chief

The majority of GTA residents believe -- wrongly -- that the air quality in their own neighbourhoods is better than in smoggy downtown Toronto, a new poll shows.

Eva Ligeti of the Clean Air Partnership said people who live in the suburbs look at the brown haze that often hangs over downtown Toronto and assume falsely that they breathe easier in their own communities.

"What you don't see is what's going to kill you," she said.

The Oraclepoll Research survey found that 73% of respondents believed downtown air quality to be "total poor." Only 4% rated it "total good."

Ranking their own community air quality as better than downtown Toronto were 66% of Caledon residents, 60% of Burlington residents, 69% of Markham residents and 56% of Oshawa residents.

POLLUTION POCKETS

Almost six in 10 GTA residents rated their neighbourhood air as "good or very good."

But Dr. Greg Evans of the University of Toronto said results of air testing do not support their views.

Harmful particles are found throughout the GTA and southern Ontario, and proximity to a heavily travelled roadway increases air pollution in local pockets, Evans said.

The Ontario Medical Association estimates that smog contributes to almost 1,500 deaths in Toronto and another 1,000 deaths in Durham, Halton, Peel and York regions every year. That toll is expected to rise to 4,300 premature GTA deaths in the next 20 years.

Dr. David Pengelly of McMaster University's Institute of Environment and Health said there is no safe level of smog.

Pengelly said some people may not be affected by even high levels of air pollutants, but others will suffer from very low levels.

The poll was released in advance of the Smog Summit today and tomorrow at Toronto City Hall.

AIR ACHE

Percentage of GTA residents who rate their neighbour-hood air quality as better than downtown Toronto:

Caledon 66%

Burlington 60%

Markham 69%

Oshawa 56%

Number of smog advisory days in 2005:

Caledon 48 days

Burlington 48 days

Markham 48 days

Oshawa 48 days

Toronto 48 days

GTA residents rate GTA air:

Total poor 34%

Neither poor nor good 48%

Total good 13%

GTA residents rate Toronto air:

Total poor 73%

Neither poor nor good 14%

Total good 4%

GTA residents rate their own neighbourhood air:

Total poor 10%

Neither poor nor good 31%

Total good 58%

Impact of air quality on buying a home:

No impact 12%

Some impact 47%

Large impact 40%

ORACLEPOLL RESEARCH POLLED GTA RESIDENTS OUTSIDE THE CITY OF TORONTO