Climate Change & Air Quality

Climate change is expected to:

• Increase damage to infrastructure such as water, roads, energy and homes due to extreme weather events such as droughts, intense precipitation, extreme temperatures, high winds and severe storms
• Increase the burden on insurance and reinsurance industries, resulting in increased liability costs or removal of coverage
• Change food and water supplies by shifting rain patterns, soil moisture, water temperature and availability of nutrients
• Increase rates of death and disease associated with extreme weather, poor air quality, insect-borne diseases and drought
• Increase economic losses associated with extreme weather such as tornadoes, floods, hurricanes and snowstorms

Climate change is likely to have harmful effects on human health. The relationship between weather, climate and human health is both direct and indirect, because air quality is strongly influenced by weather and climate. Effects on human health include:

• More severe respiratory disorders and allergies
• More deaths due to extreme weather events
• Greater infectious diseases
• Increase in health disorders related to environmental contamination by bacteria, viruses and parasites

Environmental Plans & Strategies

Learn more about the City's policies, plans and initiatives ensuring environmental planning and supports resident wellbeing.

Smog, the grey or brown haze that sometimes accompanies hot days, describes pollutants in outdoor air. In urban areas, sources of pollution include cars, trucks and industry. Because pollutants travel through the air, pollution can affect air quality at great distances from where the pollution originated. 

When high smog levels are expected, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change issues Smog Alerts.

Smog affects everyone's health

Some people are more vulnerable to the effects of air pollution than others. Smog is especially harmful to:

• Seniors
• People with lung diseases and heart conditions
• People with asthma, bronchitis, or other lung conditions
• Children and pregnant women

Effects of smog on health include:

• Irritates eyes, nose and throat
• Causes wheezing, coughing and breathing difficulties
• Associated with premature death
• Results in increased hospitalizations and visits to the emergency room or the doctor's office due to pre-existing health conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, heart disease and diabetes

Health risks may increase during high smog levels if you play sports or exercise outdoors, or are active outside (e.g., gardeners). When you exercise, you breathe harder than normal, bringing dirty air deeper into your lungs. You also breathe mostly through your mouth, bypassing the filtering action of your nose.  If you are active outdoors when smog levels are high you may have difficulty performing at your best because your lungs cannot work at full capacity.

How to protect yourself during a smog alert

• Reduce your activity level if you have symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and/or difficulty breathing
• Avoid or reduce strenuous outdoor physical activity, especially in late afternoon
• Avoid or reduce strenuous outdoor physical activity such as running near areas of heavy traffic, especially during rush hour
• Check the air quality forecast for Hamilton 
• Plan your day to limit activities that increase smog (for ex., do errands with friends, car pool to work, take the bus to work, work from home)
• Stay indoors if possible
• Drink lots of water and take breaks in the shade or in an air-conditioned area if you work outside
• Check on neighbours, friends and family members, especially those who have health problems or live alone
• Call your doctor or go to the closest walk-in clinic or hospital emergency department if you have concerns about your health

On-the-Go

Reduce Single Occupancy Vehicle Use
Active & public transportation reduce single occupancy vehicle traffic-related air pollution.  Traffic-related air pollution has been linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, obesity and mental health-related outcomes.

To learn more about ways to reduce driving and its contribution to air pollution and climate change, please visit:

• Smart Commute
• Active School Travel
• Cycling Network in Hamilton

At Home

Do-it-yourself (DIY) Construction Projects
When completing DIY construction projects, use best practices to reduce dust and particulate matter. Read the Clean Air Hamilton's Homeowners Environmental Handbook.

Effects of wood smoke on health

Wood smoke can cause irritations such as:

Air pollution has been linked to increased hospital admissions, asthma and other respiratory diseases and premature death. 

Who is at risk?

Wood smoke can affect everyone’s health. Those most sensitive to smoke and its health effects include:

• Children
• Pregnant individuals
• Seniors
• People with asthma, allergies, heart problems or lung conditions

Those who work, play sports or exercise outdoors are also at risk.

How to protect yourself

The best way to reduce exposure to wood smoke is to avoid burning wood. If you do burn wood, consider switching to an electric fireplace.

• Replace older wood burning equipment with new, high-efficiency, low emission units
• Buy a wood stove approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency and certified by the Canadian Standards Association
• Start fires with newspaper and dry kindling
• Try a mix of different hardwoods and softwoods in your fire
• Burn only clean, dry wood and newsprint
• Do not burn garbage, cardboard, plastics, painted or treated wood, particleboard, plywood or glossy magazines - these release toxic chemicals into the air
• Keep fires small and hot
• Remove ashes regularly from your woodstove and place in a metal container stored outside your home. Once cooled, place ashes in paper bags and dispose in your Green Bin 
• Have your chimney inspected and cleaned at least once a year
• Install and regularly check smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, including battery life
• Ensure that new stoves and fireplace inserts are professionally installed by a technician certified under the Wood Energy Technical Training (WETT) program
• If you live in a neighbourhood where wood-burning is common, keep your windows closed and seal areas where drafts occur
• Ask your neighbours if your wood smoke is affecting them

* At risk population includes people at increased risk such as children; seniors; people with existing respiratory conditions including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchitis, emphysema or lung cancer; people with existing cardiovascular conditions including angina, previous heart attack, congestive heart failure or heart rhythm problems.

General population includes all individuals who are not noted above.

Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks and Environment and Climate Change Canada Alerts have provided the below precautions for regions with Special Air Quality Alerts as a result of wildfires:

1. Wildfire smoke can be harmful to everyone’s health even at low concentrations. Everyone can take action to reduce their exposure to wildfire smoke.

2. People with lung disease (such as asthma) or heart disease, older adults, children, pregnant people, and people who work outdoors are at higher risk of experiencing health effects caused by wildfire smoke. Speak with your health care provider about developing a management plan for wildfire smoke events and maintaining a supply of necessary medications at home and always carrying these medications with you during wildfire season.

3. Visit www.airhealth.ca for information on how to reduce your health risk and your personal contribution to pollution levels, as well as for current and forecast AQHI values.

4. Stop or reduce your activity level if breathing becomes uncomfortable or you or someone in your care feel unwell. Contact your health care provider or local health authority if you develop severe symptoms or need advice.

5. Check the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) and monitor your symptoms. People respond differently to smoke. Mild irritation and discomfort are common, and usually disappear when the smoke clears. Drinking lots of water can help your body cope with the smoke.

6. If you have an HVAC system in your home, use the highest rated MERV filter for your system (ideally rated 13 or higher) and set the fan to recirculate air constantly. You can also use a portable High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) air cleaner. Keep your doors and windows closed if the temperature in your home is comfortable.

7. Take a break from the smoke at a location in your community where you can find clean, cool air.

8. If you must spend time outdoors, a well-fitted respirator type mask (such as a NIOSH certified N95 or equivalent respirator) that does not allow air to pass through small openings between the mask and face, can help reduce your exposure to the fine particles in smoke. These fine particles generally pose the greatest risk to health. However, respirators do not reduce exposure to the gases in wildfire smoke. It is important to listen to your body and reduce or stop activities if you are experiencing symptoms.

9. Be sure to check on people in your care and those around you who may be more susceptible to smoke.

10. Reduce sources of indoor air pollution. If you can, avoid smoking or vaping indoors, burning incense and candles, frying foods, using wood stoves and vacuuming. Dust on indoor surfaces can be removed by wiping and wet mopping during a pollution episode.

11. If you experience any feelings of stress, anxiety, or depression, contact your mental health care provider for advice or visit https://www.wellnesstogether.ca/en-CA.

12. For more details, please consult the Government of Canada's Wildfire smoke, air quality and your health page.