Air Pollution in Canada
Canada, being the next largest country in the world after Russia, which is at position one, is also home to a substantial population estimated at 37.59 million. Being large, Canada consists of vast ecosystems. The water bodies account for 7% of its landmass. Moreover, Canada is well-known for its gas and oil industries, responsible for about 25% of Greenhouse gas emissions (Canada: Environmental Issues, Policies, and Clean Technology, 2015). Besides, they emit carbon compounds during the industrial processes. There is a growing concern about the oil leakages, which pose a significant threat to climatic changes. The emissions of these compounds have led to air pollution in urban Canada, creating great concern for approaching this issue. Therefore, as the Prime Minister of Canada, I would wish to address air pollution, which is a significant environmental concern in Canada, and the possible course of action to solve this menace.
Air pollution in Canada has become a worry to the citizens and the government of Canada since it widely affects soil, water, wildlife, and vegetation. Air pollution has gradually engulfed almost all cities in Canada, becoming a worry to the public (Chung, 2019). Moreover, this condition is prevalent mostly during winter and rush hour, and the reason for such occurrences is the oil industries. Major roadways are profoundly affected because of gas emissions from diesel vehicles. Air pollution has drawn the attention of many because of the premature deaths recorded in Canada, estimated at 14,400 annually (Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2019).
Moreover, the Canadian government has had to incur costs related to air pollution of up to $36 billion according to a 2017 report from the “International Institute for Sustainable Development.” Air pollution is of significant concern as it is evident that Toronto is the leading state in high levels of air pollution. In 2014 alone, Toronto has recorded 3,550 hospitalizations and 1,300 premature deaths, which is not a good sign for the country. The traffic is mainly responsible for this menace due to the emissions of poisonous gases into the atmosphere. Therefore, a lot is at stake if we continue to live under such environmental conditions.
The extent of air pollution in Canada will be measured through programs that determine the quality of air. These programs will play a crucial role in improving our comprehension of the Canadian atmosphere’s physical and chemical composition. Besides, through these measurements, the human activities that course air pollution will be determined. The first step would be to evaluate and research on emissions from mobile sources. These sources are inclusive of engines and vehicles that range for trucks to motorcycles. The emissions from these sources are cautiously measured.
Additionally, an assessment is made to influence the types of fuels used by these mobile sources. Tests on the performance of electric and hybrid vehicles will also be undertaken. Moreover, scientific data from several monitoring programs in Canada will be obtained. The air and precipitation measurements would also be taken from the different urban and rural areas within the country. Remote sensing techniques will also be significantly crucial in obtaining the required measurements on air quality. With this data, the possible sources of air pollution will be identified, helping to set effective mitigation measures.
If I were elected as the Prime Minister of Canada, I would implement an active policy to solve this air pollution challenge. The most effective way to deal with this problem, I believe, would be to impose taxes on the producers and consumers of the pollutants. These taxes will be primarily aimed at ensuring that both parties associated with the contaminants fully pay for this production (Policies to Reduce Pollution – Economics Help, 2017). The tax that will be imposed will be called the diesel tax since most vehicles and industries deal with this. Moreover, the petrol tax and carbon tax will also be implemented. I would also create regulation laws that will be implemented and thus help in monitoring the pollutants emitted into the atmosphere.
Moreover, the amount of these pollutants will be limited to reduce air pollution. This policy is slightly reliable as compared to market-based incentives whose workability is not assured. The owners of industries will be required to present legal documents from the government that indicate their license to release these pollutants into the atmosphere and the limit to which this must be done (Ahmad, 2018). Each provincial government within the country will be obligated to ensure the success of this project. They will be expected to provide letters of approval that are legally binding. With such measures, Canada will benefit a lot in terms of health and environment wise. The regulatory system, which is robust, will be extremely useful in enhancing the country’s technological innovations.
Consequently, the economy is likely to grow, promoting energy efficiency and productivity, which will open Canada to the world market rapidly. Through close working with territorial as well as the provincial government, the policies will be effected hence ensuring all the Canadian societies can reduce air pollutant emissions. Undoubtedly, these policies will be entirely instrumental in solving this environmental menace.
The effectiveness of this proposed policy would be measured through the public views, surveying the opinions from non-governmental bodies, published literature will also be instrumental in this study. I would deploy some professionals working within my department to affected areas where they will be expected to conduct case studies. Interviews will be done on the people living within the selected regions who will be expected to give feedback on whether the laid out policies have impacted the area positively or negatively. Besides, the information obtained would be stored for comparison with other key areas. Another method will be applied to non-governmental bodies, private companies, and provincial governments, to mention a few. The survey will help to collect information on the perspectives of the said bodies on the efficiency and effectiveness of the program. The facilitators of this program will only sample some of the individuals working in these bodies, and the findings will be recorded and conveyed to the public. Informant interviews will also be conducted on the overseers of this program’s implementation, like program managers who will be expected to give information on how far the process has reached. Through these methods, the policy’s effectiveness will, for sure, be determined.
The measured variable, in this case, will be air quality. The primary purpose of this entire policy is to improve the quality of air that is inhaled by the Canadian public. The positive result obtained from this implemented policy will be the reduction in the amount of pollutants emitted into the atmosphere. The regulatory measures will ensure that the levels of pollution are notably reduced. For instance, visible smog could be done away with once and for all. Despite being hectic to enforce these laws, a collaboration between the government and the public will play a crucial role in the successful implementation of this policy. The introduction of taxes will also reinforce the regulatory measures. The taxes could be used in successfully funding air pollution reduction measures. Firms will also be motivated to create engines that cause minimal pollution to avoid the cost of taxation. With this move, the pollutants in the atmosphere will indeed be reduced, thus improving the air quality in Canada.
To sum up, Canada’s home to many ecosystems is exposed to several environmental issues. The people living in this country are exposed to life-threatening conditions brought about by environmental hazards. For instance, air pollution is mainly prevalent in Canada, which creates great concern for the government. As a candidate for the post of the prime minister, I intend to address this issue adequately through the strategies highlighted throughout the paper. The clean future in Canada is mainly dependent on the mitigation measures that are implemented today. The reduction of these emissions should be the primary focus to attain improved air quality in the country. Through the introduction of taxes and regulatory measures, the air quality that every Canadian inhales will be improved. Besides, the number of hospitalization and deaths will also significantly decline. However, these policies cannot thrive if the effort put is only from one side. The public should join hands with the government and ensure that the programs are implemented, and the future of Canada is brighter.
References
Ahmad, T. (2018, June 1). Regulation of Air Pollution. Www.Loc.Gov. https://www.loc.gov/law/help/air-pollution/canada.php
Canada: Environmental Issues, Policies and Clean Technology. (2015, July 20). AZoCleantech.Com. https://www.azocleantech.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=563#:~:text=Environment%20Canada%20has%20singled%20out
Chung, E. (2019, October 31). Harmful air pollution “definitely too high for the public” near city roads, study suggests. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/air-pollution-study-1.5339472#:~:text=Pollutants%20such%20as%20nitrogen%20oxides
Environment and Climate Change Canada. (2019). Air pollution: drivers and impacts – Canada.ca. Canada.Ca. https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-indicators/air-pollution-drivers-impacts.html
Policies to reduce pollution – Economics Help. (2017, May 26). Economics Help. https://www.economicshelp.org/blog/11077/environment/policies-to-reduce-pollution/