Resource Consumption: Air Quality and Climate Change
Human activities are the source of most air pollution. Increasing development and automobile use will contribute to air pollution and climate change.
In the Severn Sound watershed:
- Anti-vehicle idling initiatives include educational efforts by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, Orillia’s idling control by-law, and Midland’s anti-idling policy for Town vehicles.
- Community air quality initiatives include work by the Georgian Bay Association with the Ontario Medical Association’s Air Strategy Group and a lichen study, and work by Climate Action Muskoka, whose purpose is to take actions that will contribute to the fight against Global Warming.
- Municipalities do not yet have a coordinated effort to address air quality and climate change issues in the watershed.
- Individual municipal Official Plans and other policy documents are generally silent on the issue of air quality. Those that do mention protecting air quality as a function of maintaining and enhancing riparian and forest areas, or as a goal of development and land use patterns, but air quality as a stand-alone issue is not generally addressed.
- Communities do not have any air quality plans or strategies in place currently, since air quality is considered to be within the jurisdiction of the Province and federal government.