Torontonians are like most Canadians – fixated on the weather. I supposed that living in a 4-season climate and dealing with grand sweeping in changes in temperature, precipitation, and wind-chill factors can make Toronto weather interesting to live in and challenging to predict

However there is one aspect of Toronto weather that is getting more and more exposure (forgive the pun) in recent years and that is our air quality – smog.

According to the Ministry of the Environment the sun creates the photochemical reaction that causes high ground-level ozone. It is estimated that 1,600 people die in the city every year due to pollution. There are no figures available on the numbers of people that are hospitalized. The current Air Quality Index measures 6 key air pollutants which are all potentially dangerous including ozone and carbon monoxide. The higher the air quality reading, the more dangerous the air quality is. People may experience irritation, difficulty breathing, and in severe cases, even lung damage. A reading of 100 or higher is very poor, 50 – 100 is poor, and 32 – 49 is considered moderate. This scale was replaced in July with a new one called AQHI for an 18 month trial. This system will take into account how ground-level ozone, particulate matter, and nitrogen dioxide can affect people, even at low levels. It will have a simple 10 point scale and an air pollution forecast will be made available 2 days in advance, giving people the opportunity to plan for their exposure on high-risk days.

Will you consult the AQHI as you would the Toronto weather forecast and plan accordingly?