new air quality report Canada was found to have the most polluted air of any North American country in 2023, with critics saying Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s disjointed response to the disaster likely made things worse.
“2023 is the first time in the history of our report that PM2.5 levels in Canada were this high,” Natasha Gaines, communications manager for IQAir North America, told FOX News Digital. “The summer 2023 wildfires destroyed air quality not only in Canada but across the United States due to transboundary fog and air pollution that drifted across the border.”
“During May 2023, PM2.5 levels in Alberta jumped nearly nine times compared to the same period in 2022,” Gaines added. “In fact, most of Canada’s 10 most polluted cities in 2023 were in Alberta due to these fires.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has continued to sound the alarm on climate change, going so far as to say in 2021 that “climate action can’t wait” and “to reduce pollution and create a cleaner environment for everyone.” He promised to “build the future” and work to “create a green economy.” ”
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Harjit Sajjan, spokesperson for Canada’s Minister of Emergency Preparedness, told Fox News Digital: “The Government of Canada believes in the science. Climate change is real and it knows no borders. Denial is no longer an option.” .
“That’s why Canada has taken several steps to prepare for and adapt to climate change and its relentless impacts,” the spokesperson said, noting that 90 per cent of the country’s forests are owned and managed by the provinces. He noted that the federal government is working with each state. In response to the fire crisis.
Aerial view of a wildfire near Tatkin Lake, British Columbia, July 10, 2023. (BC Wildfire Authority/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Despite his warnings, he has done little to actually prepare for the crisis. When the wildfires broke out, Prime Minister Trudeau dismissed concerns that the government had contributed to the crisis by failing to update forest management policies, updating firefighting equipment and resisting requests from the national fire service.
The Frazier Institute, a liberal-conservative think tank in Canada, believes that despite global warming, Prime Minister Trudeau will simply blame environmental conditions for forest fires, as he did in early summer 2023. He acknowledged that doing so ignores ongoing issues regarding domestic policy and infrastructure.
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The Frazier Institute cites the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in a paper on the increase in the frequency and duration of “fire seasons” in Canada, which says climate change officials believe climate is causing an increase in “fire weather.” It noted that it gave “moderate confidence” that there were only changes.
Prime Minister Trudeau has begun discussing the issue of infrastructure funding by the end of summer 2023, suggesting the government should consider federal spending in such areas.
In a conversation with local leaders in British Columbia, Prime Minister Trudeau said, “I think we need to start looking at emergencies. We certainly need to start looking at infrastructure investment.” Ta.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues to sound the alarm on climate change. (Andrei Ivanov/AFP via Getty Images)
“This is something that we fully understand and that the Secretary of Infrastructure, in particular, is fully committed to and continues to work closely with state and local leaders in a collaborative manner to meet these challenges. We look forward to continuing to work together,” Prime Minister Trudeau added.
A spokesperson for Minister Sajjan insisted that “Canada’s preparations are strong and continue to evolve as we learn from these events.”
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“Working with provinces and territories, we have made significant investments in firefighting training and purchasing the specialized firefighting equipment needed…including for Indigenous peoples, and are identifying barriers to training,” the spokesperson said. He pointed out that the government is promoting firefighting efforts more strongly. Invest in disaster preparedness and improve habitat redevelopment.
“To reduce wildland fire risk, we are strengthening the FireSmart Canada program and creating a Center of Excellence for Wildland Fire Innovation and Resilience,” the spokesperson added. “We have also launched a National Risk Profile to better understand risks across the country and improve preparedness.”
Orange smog caused by the Canadian wildfires blankets New York City on June 7, 2023, obscuring famous skyscrapers and forcing residents to wear masks. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
The latest air quality report, published annually by Swiss tech company IQAir, examines PM2.5 air quality from 30,000 monitoring stations across 134 countries, regions and territories.
PM2.5 particles are fine particulate matter 2.5 microns or less in diameter, typically produced by the combustion of gasoline, oil, diesel fuel, and wood, and are measured in concentrations in micrograms per cubic meter of air.
Canada recorded an increase in concentrations from 7.4 to 10.3, but an IQAir spokesperson said this increase was likely a result of the extreme fire season that hit the country in 2023. I admitted it.
A masked person takes a photo of the New York City skyline on June 7, 2023, as smoke from the Canadian wildfires hazes New York City. Orange-tinged smog caused by the Canadian wildfires blanketed New York on Wednesday, obscuring famous skyscrapers and buildings. Cities along the US east coast have issued air pollution warnings, forcing residents to wear masks. (Photo by: ANGELA WEISS/AFP) (Photo by: ANGELA WEISS/AFP, Getty Images) (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
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According to the Guardian, the wildfires claimed nine lives (including eight firefighters and one child) and burned 45.7 million acres, about twice the size of Portugal. The fires were so intense that smoke polluted parts of the United States, turning the sky orange or red and creating an alien atmosphere.
Fires raged in the remote Canadian city of Yellowknife, forcing 20,000 people to evacuate. The average concentration in Yellowknife was about 4.63 from 2017 to 2021, but rose significantly to 20.8 in 2023, according to the IQAir report.
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India ranks as the country with the worst air pollution, with all but eight of the top 50 polluted cities within its borders, with Begusarai, the most polluted city, recording a concentration of 118.9.
The most polluted city in the United States is Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, followed by Forest Park, Georgia, and Cave Junction, Oregon. Coraopolis recorded a concentration of 19.3.
The Canadian Prime Minister’s Office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment at the time of publication.
