Officials are using nine-year-old information in their attempts to combat air pollution.
While the Sea to Sky Clean Air Society (SSCAS) assumes vehicles are still the greatest threat to the area's air quality, without updated data, it's difficult to say for sure, Kim Slater, the society's executive director, told District of Squamish council on Nov. 5. The SSCAS is pegging its efforts on statistics gathered in 1995, she noted.
It is a really important piece that we feel like we are missing to really tell the story, she said.
The group is on the hunt for funding to update the report. Members are in discussions with Sunshine Coast officials to undertake a joint effort, Slater noted.
The Ministry of Environment is in the midst of relocating and upgrading its equipment that reads the amount of particulate matter in Squamish's air. Established in 1972, the monitoring station is currently in a downtown building. It will make the trek to the Sea to Sky School District's property near Howe Sound Secondary School, Slater said.
The new equipment will likely cause a spike in Squamish's negative air quality readings because the instruments can detect more matter, she added.
Last year, the Sea to Sky Corridor got an A for air quality. In 2012, particulate levels in Squamish only exceeded provincially recommended standards once.
Poor air quality has far-reaching effects, Slater said. Not only is it bad for the environment and people's health, but poor visibility impacts tourism dollars, she noted.
All these have great costs, Slater said.
Last September, society members restored native plant species in three Sea to Sky riparian habitats. The society also runs a rebate program for residents who upgrade their woodstoves to cleaner-burning models. For more information visitwww.seatoskyairquality.ca.
