Item - 2014.HL30.1
Tracking Status
- City Council adopted this item on May 6, 2014 without amendments.
- This item was considered by Board of Health on April 28, 2014 and was adopted with amendments. It will be considered by City Council on May 6, 2014.
HL30.1 - Path to Healthier Air: Toronto Air Pollution Burden of Illness Update
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Adopted
- Wards:
- All
City Council Decision
City Council on May 6, 7 and 8, 2014, adopted the following:
1. City Council request the Premier of Ontario to urgently allocate funding to support further investment in municipal transit and active transportation infrastructure to reduce air pollution emissions in Toronto and the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).
2. City Council request Metrolinx to ensure that active transportation considerations be included at the initial planning stage for any Big Move infrastructure project.
3. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in collaboration with the Medical Officer of Health, the Director, Environment and Energy Division and the General Manager, Transportation Services, to examine design alternatives and guidelines for buildings with residential and other sensitive uses near highways and placement of large scale stand-alone retail stores so as to minimize the health impacts of air pollution on people in the vicinity.
4. City Council request the City Manager, in collaboration with Medical Officer of Health and the appropriate staff, to convene a series of roundtables to design a collaborative air monitoring strategy for Toronto.
5. City Council request the Director, Environment and Energy Division, in collaboration with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the General Manager, Transportation Services, the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture and the Medical Officer of Health, and working with external transportation and environmental experts, to co-ordinate exploration of options to improve efficiency and co-ordination of goods delivered by heavy-duty vehicles across Toronto, including an urban freight strategy.
6. City Council request the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, in collaboration with Public Health Ontario and Ontario municipalities and local public health agencies, to explore options to share costs and use of mobile air monitoring equipment with advanced capabilities.
Background Information (Board)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-68506.pdf
(April 28, 2014) Presentation from Medical Officer of Health on the Path to Healthier Air - Toronto Air Pollution Burden of Illness Update
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-68883.pdf
Communications (Board)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/hl/comm/communicationfile-46963.pdf
(April 25, 2014) Letter from John Elliott, Executive Director, Flemingdon Health Centre (HL.New.HL30.1.2)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/hl/comm/communicationfile-46981.pdf
(April 28, 2014) E-mail from Barbara Payne (HL.New.HL30.1.3)
(April 28, 2014) Submission from Heather Marshall, DeTOx Toronto Campaigner, Toronto Environmental Alliance (HL.New.HL30.1.4)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/hl/comm/communicationfile-47006.pdf
(April 28, 2014) Submission from Charles Hazell (HL.New.HL30.1.5)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/hl/comm/communicationfile-47007.pdf
Motions (City Council)
Vote (Adopt Item) May-06-2014 5:37 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - HL30.1 - Adopt the item |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 32 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Maria Augimeri, Michelle Berardinetti, Shelley Carroll, Josh Colle, Gary Crawford, Vincent Crisanti, Janet Davis, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Mike Del Grande, Frank Di Giorgio, Sarah Doucette, Paula Fletcher, Mark Grimes, Norman Kelly, Chin Lee, Peter Leon, Gloria Lindsay Luby, Josh Matlow, Pam McConnell, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Joe Mihevc, Ron Moeser, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Cesar Palacio, John Parker, James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Anthony Perruzza, Jaye Robinson, Michael Thompson, Adam Vaughan |
| Total members that voted No: 0 | Members that voted No are |
| Total members that were Absent: 13 | Members that were absent are Ana Bailão, Raymond Cho, John Filion, Doug Ford, Rob Ford, Mary Fragedakis, Mike Layton, Giorgio Mammoliti, Peter Milczyn, Denzil Minnan-Wong, David Shiner, Karen Stintz, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
HL30.1 - Path to Healthier Air: Toronto Air Pollution Burden of Illness Update
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- All
Board Recommendations
The Board of Health recommends that:
1. City Council request the Premier of Ontario to urgently allocate funding to support further investment in municipal transit and active transportation infrastructure to reduce air pollution emissions in Toronto and the GTHA;
2. City Council request Metrolinx to ensure that active transportation considerations be included at the initial planning stage for any Big Move infrastructure project;
3. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director of City Planning, in collaboration with the Medical Officer of Health, Director of the Environment and Energy Division, and General Manager of Transportation Services, to examine design alternatives and guidelines for buildings with residential and other sensitive uses near highways and placement of large scale stand-alone retail stores so as to minimize the health impacts of air pollution on people in the vicinity;
4. City Council request the City Manager, in collaboration with Medical Officer of Health and the appropriate staff, to convene a series of roundtables to design a collaborative air monitoring strategy for Toronto.
5. City Council request the Director of the Environment and Energy Division, in collaboration with the Chief Planner and Executive Director of City Planning, the General Manager of Transportation Services, the General Manager of Economic Development and Culture and the Medical Officer of Health, and working with external transportation and environmental experts, to co-ordinate exploration of options to improve efficiency and co-ordination of goods delivered by heavy-duty vehicles across Toronto, including an urban freight strategy; and
6. City Council request the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, in collaboration with Public Health Ontario and Ontario municipalities and local public health agencies, to explore options to share costs and use of mobile air monitoring equipment with advanced capabilities.
Decision Advice and Other Information
The Board of Health:
1. Forwarded the report (April 11, 2014) from the Medical Officer of Health to the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, the Canadian Public Health Association, the Canadian Urban Institute, the Centre for Research on Inner City Health at St. Michael's Hospital, the Chief Medical Offer of Health of Ontario, Civic Action, the Clean Air Partnership, the Council of Ontario Medical Officers of Health, Green Communities Canada, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Ontario Ministers of Transportation, and Health and Long Term Care, the Ontario College of Family Physicians, the Ontario Medical Association, the Ontario Professional Planners Institute, the Ontario Public Health Association, the Ontario Trucking Association, the Pembina Institute, the Premier of Ontario, the Toronto Board of Trade, the Toronto Cancer Prevention Coalition - Occupational and Environmental Health Working Group, Community Health Centres, the Medical Director of the Environmental Health Clinic at Women's College Hospital, the Toronto Transit Commission, and the Urban Public Health Network.
2. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to report to the Board of Health within six months on the responses from the Premier of Ontario, Metrolinx and all others parties who received the report.
The Medical Officer of Health gave a presentation to the Board of Health.
Origin
Summary
Toronto is on a path to healthier air. Policies and programs implemented at all levels of government over the past decade to reduce emissions have led to downward trends in pollutant emissions, ambient air pollution levels, and related health impacts. However, air pollution still poses a significant burden of illness in Toronto, and there is still much work to be done to reduce emissions that are harmful to health.
In 2004, Toronto Public Health (TPH) reported that air pollution contributed to an estimated 1,700 premature deaths and 6,000 hospitalizations each year in Toronto. Ten years later, air pollution still has a serious impact on health in Toronto, despite improvements in air quality. Air pollution is currently estimated to give rise to 1,300 premature deaths and 3,550 hospitalizations each year in the City.
Over half of Toronto's air pollution is emitted within the City's boundaries, with the biggest local source being motor vehicle traffic, including all types of personal and freight vehicles. On average, these sources account for about 280 deaths and 1,090 hospitalizations in the City each year, or about 42 percent of premature deaths and 55 percent of hospitalizations due to air pollution emitted in Toronto.
A renewed focus on reducing emissions from traffic is required to achieve continued improvements to air quality for the City. Such emissions reductions may be attained by achieving mode shift to healthier alternatives, ensuring that potential impacts of major transportation corridors are mitigated, and improving efficiency of goods movement in the City. Ongoing efforts to reduce industrial and small business emissions and reduce natural gas consumption through energy conservation efforts also remain key pillars of an approach to achieve cleaner air in Toronto. Supporting collection of data through air quality modelling and monitoring will further aid the City and local communities and organizations in identifying additional pollution prevention strategies.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-68506.pdf
(April 28, 2014) Presentation from Medical Officer of Health on the Path to Healthier Air - Toronto Air Pollution Burden of Illness Update
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-68883.pdf
Communications
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/hl/comm/communicationfile-46963.pdf
(April 25, 2014) Letter from John Elliott, Executive Director, Flemingdon Health Centre (HL.New.HL30.1.2)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/hl/comm/communicationfile-46981.pdf
(April 28, 2014) E-mail from Barbara Payne (HL.New.HL30.1.3)
(April 28, 2014) Submission from Heather Marshall, DeTOx Toronto Campaigner, Toronto Environmental Alliance (HL.New.HL30.1.4)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/hl/comm/communicationfile-47006.pdf
(April 28, 2014) Submission from Charles Hazell (HL.New.HL30.1.5)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/hl/comm/communicationfile-47007.pdf
Speakers
Franz Hartmann, Executive Director, Toronto Environmental Alliance
Charles Hazell, Architect (Submission Filed)
Heather Marshall, DeTOx Toronto Campaigner, Toronto Environmental Alliance (Submission Filed)
Geoff Kettel, Flemingdon Health Centre
Sarah Miller, Co-Chair, Occupational and Environmental Working Group, Toronto Cancer Prevention Coalition
Motions
That the Board of Health request the Medical Officer of Health to report back within six months on the responses from the Premier of Ontario, Metrolinx and all others as referenced in Recommendation 6 of the report (April 11, 2014) from the Medical Officer of Health.
That the report also be forwarded to the Medical Director of the Environmental Health Clinic at Women's College Hospital.
That Recommendation 4 of the report (April 11, 2014) from the Medical Officer of Health be amended to include the General Manager of Economic Development and Culture following Transportation Services.
That Recommendation 3 of the report (April 11, 2014) from the Medical Officer of Health be amended by adding "and placement of large scale stand-alone retail stores" after "highways".
That City Council request the City Manager, in collaboration with Medical Officer of Health and the appropriate staff, to convene a series of roundtables to design a collaborative air monitoring strategy for Toronto.
That the report also be forwarded to Community Health Centres.