Toronto Health Connection
Toronto Health Connection is a Toronto Public Health call centre that offers information about public health programs and services, including environmental health programs.
The call centre may refer you to the City's public health inspectors for specific environmental health concerns such as mould, indoor air quality and water quality.
Call Toronto Health Connection at 416-338-7600.
Air Quality Health Index
The Air Quality Health Index is a national health-based index to help individuals protect their health, and the health of people in their care.
The Air Quality Health Index measures air quality in relation to your health on a coloured scale from 1 to 10. The higher the reading, the greater the health risk and hence the greater the need to take precautions. On rare occasions, the Air Quality Health Index may be 10+, which means a very high health risk.
Learn more about the Air Quality Health Index.
Heat Alerts and Extreme Heat Alerts
Toronto Public Health monitors the weather every day from May 15 to September 30 each year, to alert those people most at risk of heat-related illness that hot weather conditions presently exist and to take appropriate precautions.
Learn more about the Heat Alert System.
Protecting your Health on Smog Days
Smog affects everyone's health. But health risks may increase during high smog levels for those who play sports, exercise or work outdoors.
When you exercise, you breathe harder than normal, bringing dirty air deeper into your lungs. You also breathe mostly through your mouth, bypassing the filtering action of the nose. People who are active outdoors when smog levels are high may have difficulty performing at their best because the lungs cannot work at full capacity.
It is important to monitor your health and reduce physical activity levels during a smog alert. There are many things you can do to protect yourself while enjoying the outdoors.
Read the report Air Pollution and Physical Activity for more details and key findings.
Children's Health
Research shows that environmental pollution, even at low exposure levels, can have a major health impact, and that children may be more at risk. Action can be taken to protect children from being exposed to environmental pollutants.
Two resources present "childproofing" tips for minimizing and avoiding exposures potentially harmful to children. The Canadian Partnership for Children's Health and Environment, of which Toronto Public Health is a member, produced these resources:
More details are available from Toronto Public Health.
Residential Wood Burning
Emissions from burning wood in the home can affect the air quality both indoor and outdoor. There are ways for residents and governments to substantially reduce emissions from residential wood burning.
Toronto Public Health provides tips on wood burning in your home.
Read the report Air Pollution from Wood-burning Fireplaces and Stoves for more details and key findings.
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20/20 The Way to Clean Air provides resources to residents in the Greater Toronto Area to help them reduce home energy use and vehicle use by 20 per cent.
You can discover how to generate electricity using reliable solar and wind energy at hands-on workshops at Toronto and Region Conservation's Kortright Centre. The 
Community gardens benefit everyone by creating safe and healthy recreational activity within our parks system, and on other city-owned lands.
The City of Toronto has partnered with Zerofootprint, a Toronto-based, not-for-profit firm that has developed an online carbon calculator.