Provincial News: Ontario air quality still at risk, warns Tabuns

QUEEN'S PARK – NDP Environment Critic Peter Tabuns welcomed news that Ontario's air quality has improved somewhat, but cautions that progress may be a temporary result of the economic downturn and could be undone by recent McGuinty government actions.

"While factory closures are reducing emissions, a number of recent McGuinty government actions pose a serious threat to air quality," said Tabuns.

He raised particular concern about:

A 29 per cent increase in Ontario's coal-fired generation in 2010 over the previous year, much of which was exported to the United States; Transit service delays and reductions due to 2010 budget cuts to Toronto's Transit City and the Ontario Bus Replacement Program; New regulations which exempt large polluters from meeting air quality standards that are deemed unachievable.

"Ontario's Environmental Commissioner has made it clear that the McGuinty government's Open for Business plan is compromising air quality protection," said Tabuns.

"In its mad rush to cut red tape for business, the government seems to be forgetting that good air is a matter of life and death for many Ontarians."

The new report found that ozone levels exceeded safe standards in 18 of 20 Ontario cities surveyed, he noted.