Item - 2020.HL13.8

The Board of Health recommends that:

1.  City Council request the Toronto Transit Commission Board to implement PM2.5 mitigation measures that can be delivered in the short-term, including actions related to employee awareness and training programs, state of good repair (materials, equipment, procurement, and procedures), and engineering reviews, as described in the report (December 19, 2019) from the Medical Officer of Health.

2.  City Council request the Toronto Transit Commission Board to identify medium- and long-term mitigation measures, with a priority on Line 2, that can be implemented to further improve air quality in the Toronto Transit Commission subway system, as described in the report (December 19, 2019) from the Medical Officer of Health, including:

a.  reviewing operational systems and procedures, such as automatic train control, train frequency, and ventilation systems;

b.  reviewing procurement specification and deployment plans for replacement trains for future line modernization;

c.  including consideration of the potential improvements to air quality in the Toronto Transit Commission's study of platform edge doors; and

d.  monitoring levels of subway PM2.5 and evaluating the PM2.5 mitigation strategies that are implemented.

3.  City Council request the Toronto Transit Commission Board to request the Toronto Transit Commission staff to report to City Council on opportunities for air quality improvement in the Toronto Transit Commission subway system, including a review of emerging information and technology.

4.  City Council request the Toronto Transit Commission Board to identify funding requirements through future budget processes to develop and implement further PM2.5 mitigation measures.

5.  City Council request Metrolinx to proactively address air quality in future initiatives through consideration of air quality in future station/system design or redesign projects as well as station construction or renovation/reconstruction projects.

The Board of Health:

1.  Encouraged Health Canada to continue its research on air quality issues in the Toronto Transit Commission subway system and to establish health-based guidelines for subway PM2.5.

2.  Encouraged the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Medical Council of Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and the Transportation Association of Canada to support research into the potential health impacts of exposure to subway particulate matter, with a view to informing subway air quality standards and best practices for supporting passenger health and improving subway air quality.

3.  Directed that the report (December 19, 2019) from the Medical Officer of Health be forwarded to the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development for consideration in any future occupational health standards development.

4.  Directed that the report (December 19, 2019) from the Medical Officer of Health be forwarded to the Ontario Ministry of Health, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.

In 2017, the Board of Health requested an independent study of the health impacts of air quality for passengers in the subway system, particularly in relation to mitigation measures that could be implemented.

To understand the overall impact of the Toronto subway on the health of Torontonians, Toronto Public Health carried out a Health Impact Assessment, including a Human Health Risk Assessment of air quality. The Health Impact Assessment concluded that taking the subway is associated with benefits to people's health and wellbeing and is a health-supportive way to travel, especially as an alternative to personal vehicle use. Promoting the use of transit is important because it provides a safer alternative to driving, reduces outdoor air pollution and greenhouse gases, promotes physical activity, and provides access to employment, education, and social/community services.

The Health Impact Assessment also identified that improving air quality in the Toronto subway system is expected to be associated with health benefits for passengers. Air quality data collected in the Toronto subway system shows that, as is the case for other similar subway systems, levels of fine particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5) are elevated and contain high levels of some metals. The Human Health Risk Assessment, which considered subway PM2.5 overall and individual metal components, concluded that levels of subway PM2.5 warrant mitigation, particularly on Line 2. Other cities with similar systems are also identifying elevated levels of subway PM2.5 and information has been gathered on mitigation options. While a high-level jurisdictional scan shows that Toronto is demonstrating leadership in addressing subway air quality, a continuous improvement approach should be adopted by the Toronto Transit Commission Board to ensure ongoing assessment and improvement of subway air pollution levels in Toronto.

In combination with mitigation actions that can be undertaken in the short-term, developing, implementing, and funding medium- and long-term PM2.5 mitigation measures will improve air quality in the subway and further enhance the health promoting aspects of using public transit. Continued research and collaboration among health, science, transportation, and engineering agencies will fill knowledge gaps within the field of public transit. In particular, a deeper understanding about the relationship between subway PM2.5 and the health of passengers and identification of the most effective mitigation strategies are priority areas of study.