Spring Sunshine Brings Toronto's First air Quality Health Warning

by Rob Walker | April 21, 2008 at 03:48 pm | 609 views | 8 comments

After introducing a new air quality warning system last year, the first real blast of summer brought with it the first warning.

The air on Monday was at a high of 5 out of a possible 10 in the Air Quality Health Index.

As warm weather and sunshine beckoned to winter-weary Torontonians yesterday, health authorities rained on their parade with stern warnings to avoid strenuous activity or otherwise stay indoors.
Toronto Public Health issued its first high health risk reading of air quality for 2008, rating the city's air a seven on the newly implemented 10-point Air Quality Health Index.

At-Risk Population:

If you have heart or breathing problems, and experience symptoms, consider reducing physical exertion outdoors or reschedule activities to times when the index is lower.

Follow your doctor's usual advice about managing your condition.

General Population:

No need to modify your usual outdoor activities.

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guajava

at 20:22 on April 21st, 2008

Not sure there was any spring this year. There was winter, then there was extra snow for bad behaviour, and now we're straight into air-quality-advisory season.

guajava has contributed a photo to this story.

Wil Lau

at 20:34 on April 21st, 2008

It's as if we skipped spring all together. Looking out west from the Panorama.

Wil Lau has contributed a photo to this story.

aadilm

at 00:17 on April 22nd, 2008

We always hear about smog alerts in Toronto, but I never really knew what it actually looked like. One summer afternoon, while sitting out on my balcony, I saw this over the Toronto skyline. I was disgusted. I took this picture in hopes that other people will also realise that we really need to take serious care of the air quality in our cities.

aadilm has contributed a photo to this story.

James Pate

at 03:10 on April 22nd, 2008

We're going to have a really hot summer in Toronto, I can feel it. Mid-april weather in the 20s, folks.

kenboo72

at 07:47 on April 22nd, 2008

I took this photo around 4:45 in the morning last fall. From the Humber Bridge area.

kenboo72 has contributed a photo to this story.

maththetraveller

at 21:14 on April 22nd, 2008

This picture of Toronto was taken from the Clarica Center, located about 10km from downtown. On some days, we could not even see the city because there was too much smog.

maththetraveller has contributed a photo to this story.

Jessie.marchessault

at 00:09 on April 26th, 2008

This was taken on an autumn afternoon in the east side of toronto. I found the silhouette of the CN tower to hold such distilled beauty as it is the symbol for our city.

Jessie.marchessault has contributed a photo to this story.

nova-scotia

at 12:17 on May 21st, 2008

I took this on a flight back to Pearson Itnl in July 2007.

nova-scotia has contributed a photo to this story.