Squamish Councilor Chris Pettingill is calling on the province to strengthen air quality monitoring and enforcement across B.C., arguing that current rules may not adequately protect vulnerable residents
Petingill proposed a resolution to the District of Squamish Council on Feb. 17, asking the province to improve air quality regulations by increasing transparency and ensuring more monitoring independent from polluters. If approved, it would go to the Lower Mainland Local Government Association (LMLGA).
Pettingill said that he was concerned about air quality issues happening across the province, from a waste-to-energy plant in Metro Vancouver, to LNG Canada flaring more gas than the Kitimat plant anticipated, according to a story in the Narwhal.
“It seems more intuitive to make sure the air quality is where it needs to be and then continue operations,” Petingill said.
The resolution proposes independent and publicly transparent air quality monitoring, timely data sharing with health authorities and local governments, as well as moving to more objective regulations.
Pettingill said current air quality standards are based on the general adult population averages, and may not adequately account for other groups, like children, seniors, and those with respiratory issues.
“The science on the impacts of air quality has been evolving fairly quickly, and we should be adhering to the best science if we’re concerned about our health,” Pettingill said.
Tim Takaro, Professor Emeritus at Simon Fraser University, and a physician-scientist specialising in environmental medicine and public health, was one of the experts Pettingill consulted while preparing the resolution.
In particular, Takaro is concerned about how air quality is permitted for LNG facilities, and the effects this may have on residents. In a study on LNG facility flaring worldwide, Takaro and his colleagues found that LNG export facilities emit much more gas through flaring in the first two years of operation. Takaro said these start-up periods are not fully reflected in the permitting in B.C..
“It’s not an accurate assessment of the health effects of the facility,” Takaro said.
He added that elevated emissions are not always detected by the province’s stationary monitoring stations. In Kitimat, where LNG Canada disclosed increased flaring, monitors did not show the expected spikes.
“Why is that?” Takaro said. “We don’t know, it may be where they are, it may be weather conditions, it may be that there was no elevated ambient air exceedances.”
Takaro said the broader concern is the potential health impact of air pollution, particularly for vulnerable residents. Pollutants including fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and other compounds, are associated with a host of health issues including asthma attacks, worsening respiratory disease, cardiovascular problems and increased cancer risk.
“For nitrogen dioxide, and benzene it’s been pretty well demonstrated, there’s no safe level,” Takaro said.
Takaro said another concern is cumulative emissions. LNG facilities are typically permitted one at a time, he said, which can overlook the combined impact of traffic, wood burning and other industry within a single airshed.
“When we permit these facilities, it’s always one at a time,” Takaro said. “And it means that you miss the cumulative effects on an airshed.”
In valley communities like Squamish, temperature inversions can trap air making the buildup more pronounced.
Pettingill said that the resolution is intended to clarify expectations and ensure public health is prioritized.
“There’s no sort of hard line… we spend a lot of time fighting over what the regulations are.” Pettingill said. “A clear definition would make it easier for the public and for regulators.”
