Air Quality Assessments

Alberta Environment has assessed particulate matter and ozone data collected at Alberta monitoring stations between 2001 and 2007. These assessments are performed annually, and each covers a three-year period (2005-2007, for example). As a result of these assessments, Alberta Environment assigned action levels to individual monitoring stations and to the Census Metropolitan Areas of Edmonton and Calgary. Episodes caused by natural, background or trans-boundary influences were removed in this assessment. For more information, see the 2001 to 2007 Particulate Matter and Ozone Assessment report.

Summary of results

Canada-wide Standards were not exceeded for ozone or particulate matter in Alberta during the 2001?2007 assessment period.

The planning trigger for ozone was exceeded in metropolitan Edmonton and Calgary, and the Parkland Airshed Management Zone (PAMZ), the West Central Airshed Society (WCAS), and Fort Air Partnership Airshed (FAP). (Note: parts of the FAP and WCAS airsheds fall inside metropolitan Edmonton boundaries.) These areas were assigned to the management plan action level following the 2001-2003 (first) assessment, and continued to exceed the planning trigger following the 2002-2004 assessment. The Alberta Capital Airshed Alliance (ACAA) and Calgary Region Airshed Zone (CRAZ) have since formed for the Edmonton and Calgary areas.

Areas assigned to the management plan action level must develop an air quality management plan. These plans should consider population growth, industrial activity and air quality trends. The goal of the plan is to avoid future exceedances of the Canada-wide Standards.

Metropolitan Edmonton and the WCAS airshed have continued to exceed the planning trigger after the 2001-2003 assessment. Ozone levels in Metropolitan Calgary and the PAMZ and FAP airsheds fell below the planning trigger following the 2002-2004 assessment. However, by consensus agreement of the CASA Particulate Matter and Ozone Implementation Team, these areas still must develop management plans, based on their previous assignment.

Latest Alberta Particulate Matter and Ozone Assessment Report:

Previous assessment reports:

Information on the assessment process and procedure for handling natural, background or trans-boundary episodes: