08/06/2005 - The Honourable
Stéphane Dion, Minister of the Environment,
launched on Clean Air Day, a one window Web
site called Clean Air Online to inform and
encourage Canadians to take action to reduce
air pollution. The announcement was made at
today’s Sixth Annual Greater Toronto Area
Smog Summit.
“Clean Air Online will help Canadians, both
here in Toronto and across the country, to
improve local air quality, reduce greenhouse
gas emissions and help Canada meet its Kyoto
commitments,” said Minister Dion to the delegates
at the Smog Summit. “Demonstrating leadership
and working together to encourage Canadians
to take action are important steps to address
air pollution and combat climate change.”
The Clean Air Online Web site was designed
to engage Canadians to take action to improve
air quality and protect their health. It aims
at providing timely, locally relevant and
action oriented information, tools and resources
focused on clean air issues and climate change.
The Environment Canada led project consists
of a national Web site linked to a pilot project
in the Greater Toronto Area. The comprehensive
and engaging Web site provides one-window
access to geographically relevant information
from various sources.
"The environmental sustainability of
Canada's cities and communities is predicated
on everyone working together - by connecting
together - to reduce climate change,"
said John Godfrey, Minister of State (Infrastructure
and Communities) and M.P. for Don Valley West.
"This new Web site makes it easier for
people to contribute to positive change in
this way."
The Toronto Smog Summit also coincides with
Environment Week. Since 1972, Canadian Environment
Week has been held the first week of June
each year to coincide with World Environment
Day as proclaimed by the United Nations in
1972. Clean Air Day, celebrated annually on
the Wednesday during Environment Week, is
a day to nationally recognize the importance
of clean air to the health of Canadians and
Canada’s environment. It is an opportunity
to educate Canadians on how they can help
improve air quality and slow climate change.
“On behalf of The Government of Canada, I
would like to thank the City of Toronto for
hosting the Greater Toronto Area Smog Summit
2005 and applaud the efforts of the Greater
Toronto Area Clean Air Council for its continued
efforts to advance the clean air agenda and
raise public awareness of clean air issues
within the region,” added Minister Dion.
Each level of government attending the Smog
Summit reports on progress and commits to
further action to improve the air quality
in the Greater Toronto Area. The 2005 Smog
Summit theme is “Transportation and Health”.
The Smog Summit, established in June 2000,
provides a forum for political leaders to
share ideas, announce new initiatives and
work together through the Inter-governmental
Declaration on Clean Air. The Declaration
sets a clear course of action and illustrates
the strong commitment of all parties to the
pursuit of solutions to poor air quality and
climate change.
