Canada City Residents Face Health Concerns Linked To Pollution

A report by PollutionWatch said poor Toronto residents face the greatest health risks because of their constant exposure to high levels of pollution from chemicals and pollutants in the air.

The two-year study compared federal data on low-income households and air quality in the Great Lakes Basin, where more than 9 million Toronto residents live. It found high levels of pollution in 17 Toronto communities from South Riverdale to West Hill in the east, York University Heights in the north and Alderwood in the southwest.

Air pollution was partly responsible for about 9,500 premature deaths annually in Ontario.

Jennifer Foulds, co-author of the study, wrote, "There is no excuse any more... Pollution reduction has been on the agenda for a long time now... Now is the time to cut back on the releases of cancer-causing substances and reduce pollution. It is time to make a difference."

The study confirms a 2004 report by the Toronto Public Health that linked air pollution to 1,700 premature deaths each year. In 2007 the city health department released another study which said that 440 of the 1,700 pollution-related deaths were caused by vehicle traffic coming from tailpipe emissions.