BREATHE SAFE

BREATHE EASY

----

   

|

No Data Available

Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) is all airborne particles with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less. to learn more!
Fine Particulate Matter (PM10) is all airborne particles with a diameter of 10 microns or less. to learn more!
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) us a by-product of incomplete combustion (gasoline, natural gas, coal) which can cause smog, airway irritation, and induce attacks in asthmatics. to learn more!
Nitrogen Oxide (NO) is a strong indicator of diesel vehicle emissions but can also come from other combustion processes. to learn more!
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is produced by incomplete combustion from vehicles. Colourless and odourless, it can reduce oxygen delivery within the human body.
to learn more!
Ozone (O3) is an irritant and a major component of smog. It typically has similar concentrations across a city. to learn more!
The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is an air quality scale from 1-10+ that can help you make decisions so as to reduce health risks arising from your exposure to air pollution. to learn more!
Sulfur dioxide(SO2) is an invisible gas with a sharp, pungent odour. It reacts easily with other substances to form harmful compounds, such as sulfuric acid, sulfurous acid and sulfate particles. to learn more!
Carbon dioxide(CO2) is the main product of combustion and respiration processes and typically occurs at concentrations near 400 ppb. to learn more!

Fine Particulate Matter (PM10) includes any airborne particle (e.g. smoke, fumes, dust, ash, and pollen) with a diameter of 10 microns or less. PM10 has been associated with increased hospital visits and premature death, especially amongst children, the elderly, and those with respiratory issues. PM10 can have elevated concentrations near sources (e.g. barbecues, fires, construction) but otherwise has concentrations that are generally similar across an urban area. The current (2015) Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards are 10 µg/m3 (annual) and 28 µg/m3 (24-hour) based on three-year averaging. Further details on PM10 can be found on the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change information page:
http://www.airqualityontario.com/science/pollutants/particulates.php

Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) includes any airborne particle (e.g. smoke, fumes, dust, ash, and pollen) with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less. PM2.5 has been associated with increased hospital visits and premature death, especially amongst children, the elderly, and those with respiratory issues. PM2.5 can have elevated concentrations near sources (e.g. barbecues, fires, construction) but otherwise has concentrations that are generally similar across an urban area. The current (2015) Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards are 10 µg/m3 (annual) and 28 µg/m3 (24-hour) based on three-year averaging. Further details on PM2.5 can be found on the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change information page:
http://www.airqualityontario.com/science/pollutants/particulates.php

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) is a by-product of incomplete combustion (diesel, gasoline, natural gas, coal). It is a major component in smog formation and a useful indicator of vehicle emissions. Concentrations of NO2 vary across cities and tend to be higher near major roads with greater numbers of heavy-duty diesel vehicles. Nitrogen oxide (NO) is converted to NO2 by reaction with ozone (O3), causing the ratio of these two pollutants to change rapidly near emission sources. The proposed Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards for 2020 are 17 ppb (annual average of 1-hour values) and 60 ppb (3-year average of annual 98th percentile of daily 1-hour maximum values). Further details on NO2 can be found on the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change information page:
http://www.airqualityontario.com/science/pollutants/nitrogen.php

Nitrogen Oxide (NO) is a strong indicator of diesel vehicle emissions but can also come from other combustion processes. Concentrations across cities can be highly variable with greater concentrations found near primary sources (e.g. highways, loading docks). Nitrogen oxide can irritate the throat and promote asthma attacks in susceptible individuals. This pollutant can be a useful indicator of traffic density and composition.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is produced by incomplete combustion. CO is an odourless, tasteless, and poisonous gas, though it does not usually exist at high enough concentrations to cause acute damage (typically ~100 ppb). CO is an indicator of traffic pollution as the vast majority of CO is produced by vehicular emissions, often by cars that are poorly maintained or have defective catalytic converters in their exhaust systems. Further details on CO can be found on the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change information page:
http://www.airqualityontario.com/science/pollutants/carbon.php

Ozone (O3) is a colourless gas created through a reaction of sunlight and emissions from incomplete combustion (NOx and volatile organic carbon compounds). Ozone is a major component of smog and has been linked to increased hospital emissions and premature death. Ozone can also irritate the respiratory tract and eyes. Concentrations of ozone tend to be similar across a city and the concentrations may be lower in locations with high traffic. While ozone in the upper atmosphere is protective, exposure to ozone at ground level can impact health. The current Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standard (2015) is 63 ppb (3-year average of the annual 4th highest daily 8-hour averaged concentration). Further details on O3 can be found on the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change information page:
http://www.airqualityontario.com/science/pollutants/ozone.php

The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is an overall air quality indicator that signifies its potential risk to your health on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being low health risk and 10 being a very high health risk. The index provides a simple scale to allow people to tailor their activities according to outdoor air quality. The index takes into account nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and fine particulate matter levels for its calculation. Further details on AQHI can be found on the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change information page:
http://www.airqualityontario.com/science/aqhi_description.php

Sulfur dioxide(SO2) is a colourless gas which is responsible for the smell of burnt matches. At higher concentrations, the odour becomes sharp, pungent, and choking. It can be oxidized to sulphur trioxide, which in the presence of water vapour is readily transformed to sulphuric acid mist. SO2 is a major contributor to acid rain, although steps undertaken in the last 50 years or so to clean up industrial emissions have greatly reduced its concentrations in Europe and North America. It is a precursor to sulphates, which are one of the main components of respirable particles in the atmosphere. Further details on SO2 can be found on the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change information page:
http://www.airqualityontario.com/science/pollutants/sulphur.php

Carbon dioxide(CO2) is a naturally occurring molecule that forms as a result of respiration processes. CO2 is a greenhouse gas (GHG) due to its ability to trap heat from the sun within Earth's atmosphere, which keeps the world at a livable temperature. Ambient concentration of CO2 has risen from pre-industrial levels of ~280 ppm to the current average of ~410 ppm, most likely due to human activity. This increased abundance of CO2 traps extra energy and heat from the sun, which is believed to be detrimental to climate stability. Further details on CO2 can be found on the Global CCS Institute information page:
https://hub.globalccsinstitute.com/publications/what-happens-when-co2-stored-underground-qa-ieaghg-weyburn-midale-co2-monitoring-and-storage-project/1-what-carbon-dioxide-co2

The AirSENCE system accurately monitors the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) as well as five other harmful pollutants in the air we breathe and provides observable data on each in real time. Learn more here:
http://airsence.augsignals.com/

User Guide Select one of the eight variables on the left to view more details including data, history, and a brief description of the pollution.

Using the map on the right, you can select one of our monitoring stations or use the search bar to find the location nearest you.