Canadian Air Quality Forecasting and Information Systems

Canadian Air Quality Forecasting and Information Systems

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has been in charge of the national air quality program for more than 20 years. As of today, air pollution remains one of the most important environmental risk factors to health, in addition to hazardous effects on climate change, ecosystems, properties, and food and water chain.

Currently, Canadian air quality forecasting and information systems with observational and modeling components are a key element for policy and mitigation measures, which are used to reduce the negative impacts of air pollution. The operational ECCC’s air quality program provides immediate adaptive measures based on early warning services. In addition to this operational service, the air quality scenario and policy modelling is essential for implementing cost-effective emission reduction strategies and local planning to ensure compliance with air quality standards.

Canadian air quality forecasting and information systems also enable access to air quality data at different temporal and spatial scales. This is done through coordination of national activities to facilitate seamless provision of atmospheric composition information at various scales. This work will present Canadian air quality forecasting and information systems, components, collaboration, application and data streaming, as an example that can be helpful in building the WMO GAFIS initiative.