You can breathe a little easier Ontario, the air is getting cleaner.
Emissions of common air pollutants have dropped from levels in 2000, the Ontario government said in a report released Friday.
The Ontario Ministry of the Environment said in the report that nitrogen oxide, caused by the combustion of fossil fuels, has decreased 21 per cent since 2003.
Carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide levels also declined since 2003, falling 14 and 28 per cent respectively.
Ontario also reported only three smog days in 2009, down from eight advisories in 2008.
The Ontario government is attributing these decreases to its tough stance on the environment, such as introducing new air standards in 2005 and replacing some of the province's dirty coal-fired generators with cleaner sources.
"Generally it's good news," said Gord Miller, Ontario's independent environmental commissioner said in a telephone interview/told ctv.ca. "People should be pleased we are making progress."
But, he said, the data could be misleading to those living in cities where the air quality at street level may not be reflected in the ministries report.
"You find in places that the air quality station monitoring the regional air would be measuring good quality," said Miller, "and down at street level air quality is significantly poorer."
Despite this, Miller said it is apparent that shutting down coal-burning power generators to make way for greener sources is making a difference but warns "we could have a really hot summer anytime, 2011 could be a real hot summer and throw all the data off."
The government also credits their Drive Clean program, in place since 1999, with doing its part to stop the flow of deadly gases into the air.
Fine particle matter, microscopic hazardous chemicals found in smoke and pollen, is also in decline, said the report. The levels in the air have fallen 17 per cent since 2003.
The results were compiled using data from 40 testing sites across the province.
