If you think visible air pollution is limited to cities like Beijing, think again. A smog warning is in effect for the Montreal as air quality continues to deteriorate.
There is a thick blanket of pollution hovering over the city as you can see from this photo taken from Ville St-Laurent yesterday.
Environment Canada issued a special air quality statement for Montreal – Laval early this morning which reads:
Atmospheric conditions could result in a deterioration in air quality.
We can all help improve air quality by doing simple things, such as limiting the use of fireplaces and wood-burning stoves, opting to use public transit, and reducing our driving speed and not letting our car engines idle unnecessarily when using our cars.
Smog especially affects asthmatic children and people with respiratory ailments or heart disease. It is therefore recommended that these individuals avoid intense physical activity outdoors until the smog warning is lifted.
Additional information
Residential wood heating is responsible for almost 61% of particles that contribute to smog during winter. This activity generates the largest number of these particles – more than industrial activities (22%), the use of motorized vehicles (14%) and other sources (3%)
Link: https://weather.gc.ca/warnings/report_e.html?qc67
