Toronto Public Health encourages everyone to follow Canada’s Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) for current air quality indicators in Toronto and how to protect your health from air pollution and wildfire smoke.
Toronto, like many parts of Canada and the U.S., has been experiencing more frequent air quality events this year due to smoke from wildfires.
Air pollution can cause cardiovascular and respiratory health problems, affect birth outcomes, brain development and function, and is linked to cancer, chronic diseases (including diabetes), and other illnesses.
Toronto’s air quality is improving. Policies and programs implemented by federal, provincial and municipal governments have led to decreases in pollutant emissions, ambient air pollution levels, and related health impacts. However, air pollution still contributes to premature deaths and hospitalizations in Toronto each year. More remains to be done to improve Toronto’s air quality on an ongoing basis.
See below to learn more about how to protect yourself from air pollution, what you can do to reduce air pollution emissions.