June 9, 2005, Vaughan Citizen

Region shares smog problem with GTA

Roy Green

Poor air quality isn't just a Toronto problem, politicians from across the GTA learned this week.

Air quality samples taken May 30 in five municipalities -- Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Caledon, Oshawa and Toronto -- revealed little difference in air pollution caused by vehicles across the GTA, according to Eva Ligeti, executive director of the Clean Air Partnership.

The sampling revealed levels of particulate matter were up to six times higher in traffic areas than in residential areas in all five communities.

"When air pollution is bad in one place, it's bad all over the GTA," Ms Ligeti said Tuesday, after releasing results of the tests. "There are big trucks on Hwy. 7, the 404 and on Davis Drive in Newmarket. The same kind of numbers show up everywhere the tests were taken."

The sampling was done to increase awareness of the negative effects of air pollution on the eve of the annual Smog Summit yesterday in Toronto.

An Ontario Medical Association report released Tuesday says poor air quality in the GTA resulted in 900 premature deaths, 18,560 emergency room visits, $283 million in hospital costs and $255 million in lost productivity in 2004 alone.

The amount of air pollution increases substantially in high-traffic areas, according to Vaughan Regional Councillor Joyce Frustaglio, who took part in the May 30 sampling. "When we did the readings at Weston Road and Hwy. 7 and huge transport trucks went by, the readings skyrocketed," she said. "In residential areas, there was hardly any reading unless a car drove by."

The politicians, aided by engineering students from the University of Toronto, used hand-held instruments to take measurements of particulate matter, a major part of air pollution, U of T professor Greg Evans said.

"Particulate matter is the least understood component of air pollution," Mr. Evans said. "Fine and ultrafine particulate matter impacts us at all times of the year, unlike smog, which we literally see as a summer problem."

Readings ranged from a low of less than 20,000 ultrafine particles per cubic centimetre in low-traffic areas to as much as 120,000 at busy intersections, Ms Frustaglio said.

"Local communities have a specific role to play in reducing levels of particulate matter all year round, by reducing automobile use. For the region, it can't be understated how important it is to increase the number of people taking transit."