Expected future changes
- More frequent poor air quality days associated with longer and more severe wildfire seasons.
- Increased levels of ground-level ozone made worse by warmer temperatures.
Learn more about poor air quality projections PDF file (171 KB)
A major source of poor air quality in Vancouver is particulate matter from wildfire smoke caused by fires burning in or outside of the region.
Another source of poor air quality is ground-level ozone, which primarily comes from human sources, like motor vehicle exhaust, and is made worse by warmer summer temperatures.
Climate change is making events that cause poor air quality more common.
Building the future we want
A city that is resilient to poor air quality events means:
- Cleaner indoor air at home
- An opportunity to reduce exposure to airborne pollutants, like traffic-related air pollution
- Easier access to public clean air spaces, especially for community members who are impacted by this hazard more than others