Environmental Measures

Topic Box from the Final Benchmark Report

A number of indicators are available that, although they do not allow inter-provincial comparisons, provide useful insight about the environment.

Air Quality Health Index

The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is a tool used by Environment Canada that's distinct from the Air Quality Index (AQI). The difference is that the AQHI reports health risks rather than pollutant levels. By adjusting the amount of outdoor activity based on the risks reported by this index, Canadians are able to protect themselves when air quality levels pose high and very high health risks.

The AQHI reports on a number of items daily such as a ranking of the air quality on a scale of one to 10+, where a larger number indicates a bigger associated health risk; customized health messages for each category of health risk (low, moderate, high or very high); and, tips on how to adjust one’s activity levels accordingly.

The AQHI reports on the health risks associated with different levels of a mixture of air pollutants including ozone (O3) at ground level, fine particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). An estimated 25 to 250 deaths and up to 1,300 excess hospitalizations occur in BC annually due to short-term health impacts of poor air quality.

Between 2000 and 2006, locations in Metro Vancouver and the Lower Fraser Valley had the most Moderate Health Risk days (AQHI greater than or equal to 4), with the exception of Prince George. Vancouver airport (37 percent), Prince George (35 percent), Kitsilano (32 percent) and Burnaby South (27 percent) had the highest frequencies.

The highest mean AQHI occurred in the Lower Fraser Valley (2.3) followed by Coastal Communities (2.2) and the Interior (2.0). However, Prince George experienced the most High Health Risk days of any location in BC.

Fresh Water

Of the roughly three percent of freshwater on the Earth, only a tiny portion is surface water. The rest is in glaciers or underground. Canada has about seven percent of the world’s renewable water supply. Two important aspects of fresh water are surface water quality and groundwater supply.

Surface water quality is measured with the Water Quality Index, a tool that allows numerous quality characteristics to be expressed as a simple rating. Rankings against these objectives range from excellent (close to natural) to poor (almost always threatened or impaired). In 2006, 51 percent of the surface water sites monitored had a Water Quality Index rating of good or excellent, 39 percent were fair, 10 percent were marginal and none were rated as poor. Results from long-term monitoring show that water quality improved in 34 percent of sites, remained stable in 56 percent of sites and deteriorated in 10 percent of sites.

Contaminants

In BC, a contaminated site is where a predetermined minimum amount of hazardous waste, such as lead, arsenic and mercury, is found in the soil or underlying groundwater of an area. Human health, safety and ecological systems are all threatened by contaminants in soil and water.

The BC Ministry of Environment counts over 9,000 sites in its contaminated sites database. In 2006, nearly three quarters of these sites had been completely cleaned up or were in some process therein.

Sources: Environment Canada; BC Ministry of Environment; BC Ministry of Health Services.