The Renewed Clean Air Strategy

The Strategy: The History

Clean Air Strategy for Alberta, 1991
In the 1980s and early 1990s, national and international discussions on the impact of fossil fuels on global warming, acid deposition, and smog were of particular significance for Alberta as an energy producing province. In response, Alberta led an extensive consultation process to encourage public discussion of air emissions resulting from the production and use of energy. This consultation helped to:

• Identify and clarify the most important issues associated with energy production and use;
• Outline practical and achievable actions to be taken by consumers and producers to reduce emissions; and
• Develop policy and program recommendations for the Government of Alberta.

The Strategy: The Renewal
Alberta is committed to continued air quality management and recognizes that issues have evolved since 1991. Waves of population growth, increased development on the landscape, and the rise of new challenges and opportunities, means our management approach must evolve to become more outcomes-focused and holistic. The approach must consider the cumulative impacts of activities and decisions and better balance the social, economic and environmental interests of Albertans.

New challenges and opportunities requiring us to renew our strategic approach to air management include:

• A need to address implications of increased growth and development on the capacity of Alberta’s airsheds;
• Increased public interest in air quality issues and related health impacts;
• A need for increased policy coordination, including transitioning to a cumulative effects management approach to meet regional outcomes under Alberta’s Land-Use Framework; and
• Development of a new national Air Quality Management System where federal, provincial and territorial governments will engage stakeholders to develop national standards and work toward continuous improvement in overall air quality in Canada.

The Government of Alberta asked the Clean Air Strategic Alliance (CASA) to reflect upon the new realities and challenges facing our province and to develop recommendations for the government to consider as it renewed the original Clean Air Strategy for Alberta. CASA undertook a comprehensive, open and transparent public consultation process to assess public perceptions of air quality, evaluate air quality problems and issues in the province, and identify key areas for action by all parties.

Participant feedback was used to formulate 14 recommendations and 71 suggested actions, which were provided to Government in July 2009.

The recommendations highlighted four key areas of focus:

• Governance,
• Regional Planning,
• Pollution Prevention and Control, and
• Knowledge and Information.