Our Municipal Partners

All levels of government must work together to improve air quality and to protect the public by curbing smog-causing activities and by responding effectively to smog events. Municipalities play an especially important role in combating smog, since it is within communities that action can be taken to reduce local emissions, to inform and advise citizens about smog, and to facilitate efforts to spare the air – especially during smog alerts.

Recognizing this crucial role, several municipalities in Ontario have taken the initiative to implement smog response action plans. The City of Mississauga, the City of Toronto, the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth and the Region of Waterloo have each developed innovative and effective smog response plans for their communities. They continue to share their smog-fighting strategies with the rest of the province, in order to help other municipalities develop plans of their own.

In addition to those mentioned above, several other municipalities have joined Ontario's Smog Alert Response Program. Halton Region, the City of London, the Town of Markham, Niagara Region, and the City of Windsor have all committed to working in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment to create and implement Smog Alert Response Plans.

These plans involve taking action to:

• increase public awareness about smog and notify employees and the public of smog alerts,
• facilitate car-pooling and teleconferencing by staff, and
• reduce smog emissions from municipal operations during smog alerts by reducing energy consumption, minimizing the use of solvents and oil-based paints, and re-scheduling the use of small engines for grounds maintenance and landscaping.