SUBJECT: Halton Public Sector Smog Response Plan
File: 760-01

For information only.

Under the leadership of Peter Willmott, Director of Health Protection Services at Halton Region a staff project team has been formed to develop a public sector smog response plan and to raise community awareness of the health risks of smog and actions that can be taken. The intent is to have the plan available for review and Council adoption in November, 1999 with implementation commencing January, 2000 .

The staff team consists of representatives of the 4 area municipalities, the hydro commissions and the conservation authority plus the Region. The terms of reference for the project are attached.. The proposed smog response actions are voluntary and apply to the public sector only.

Smog response actions are implemented when the Air Quality Index is predicted to exceed 50 due to ground level ozone. Ministry of the Environment provides a 24 hour notice of upcoming poor air quality and this would trigger the following responses by the public sector:

Suspension of a number of activities including: asphalt paving; nonessential vehicle use; use of oil-based paints, solvents and cleaners; pesticide spraying; use of gasoline powered equipment such as lawn mowers and, street sweeping and vehicle refueling until after dark. Appropriate provisions will be developed for inclusion in City contracts with firms.

Turning down air conditioning in municipal offices, allowing staff to dress casually at work and encouraging work at home arrangements.

There were 8 bad air quality days in 1998 with 2 days occurring in May, 2 in June and 4 in July. The first bad air quality day of 1999 occurred on Sunday, May 27 when the Air Quality Index exceeded 60. A copy of a May 1999, Ontario Medical Review article on the negative health effects of smog is attached.

In addition to developing responses to smog for bad air quality days, the project team will identify actions which can be taken year around to improve air quality and recommend methods of increasing community awareness of air quality and smog.

Several municipalities have adopted smog response plans, including: Niagara Region, Waterloo Region, City of Mississauga and City of Toronto. Each plan establishes responses similar to those outlined above. As these plans are recent, there are no evaluations of implementation available yet.

It is recommended that this staff support be received for information.

Respectfully submitted,

Bryan Hill,
Senior Policy Advisor