The Town of Okotoks encourages residents to learn how local actions can positively impact our community and our planet. In this section, find practical tools, resources and tips to assist you in monitoring your air quality both indoors and outdoors, and things you can do to keep our air clean.
Outdoor air quality is affected by human activity, weather conditions and events such as wildfires. Outdoor air quality in Alberta is monitored using a combination of permanent and temporary monitoring stations within regional airshed zones. Okotoks is located within the Calgary Regional Airshed Zone (CRAZ).
The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is a tool developed by Environment Canada and Health Canada used to report outdoor air quality on a simple scale from 1-10+. It considers levels of particulate matter, ozone and nitrogen dioxide in the air, and generates an air quality rating.
Check out this interactive map of the province of Alberta to view the current air quality, the air quality score in each region and the forecasted air quality.
View Alberta Air Quality Index Map
For more information on how the AQHI is measured and calculated, please consult the following resources:
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s WeatherCAN App pushes air quality advisories to the user based on their geographical location. View instructions to download the WeatherCAN App.
Tips to limit your exposure to poor outdoor air quality during an air quality event:
Visit albertahealthservices.ca for more information on air quality events.
Often idling cannot be helped, for example, if you are warming up your vehicle while clearing your windshield or dropping off the kids at the rink.
Just as often, there are situations when idling is not necessary. People are often seen running their vehicles while waiting to pick up a child at school or while running into a store. Unnecessary idling gets you nowhere; instead‚ it wastes money and fuel, and produces greenhouse gases that lead to climate change.
Did you know? Turning off your car while parked in a school zone can radically reduce children's exposure to toxic pollutants.
As part of our Sustainable Community strategy, Okotoks has an idle-free bylaw. The idle-free bylaw puts measures in place we can all follow to benefit our community. The intent of this bylaw is to limit excessive idling. It’s important to know the bylaw has rules in place that change along with the temperature outside. Exceptions have been written into Bylaw to take extenuating circumstances into effect.
Are there exceptions to the Idle-Free Bylaw?
Yes. For example, idling is permitted if there is a pet present in an unoccupied vehicle. You are also allowed to idle (if required) while engaged in a mechanical test or vehicle maintenance.
Please read the Bylaw for the full list of exceptions.
Cold Weather Idling
Natural Resources Canada suggests warming up your vehicle “by driving it at a moderate speed. In most cases, you need no more than 2-3 minutes of idling from a cold start on winter days. Vehicle components, such as wheel bearings, steering, suspension, transmission and tires, are best warmed up by driving the vehicle.” Please clear your windows of ice and snow before driving.
Indoor air quality is influenced by temperature and humidity, as well as indoor contaminants such as mould, dust, or other sources of vapours (e.g., paints, cleaning supplies, etc.). If you are concerned about the air quality within your building, consider what types of activities might be contributing to poor air quality and try to reduce them.
Indoor air quality is also affected when outdoor air contaminants get inside the building, through open doors and windows, ventilation systems, and other pathways for air movement if a building envelope is not air-tight.
For more information on sources of indoor air pollution and how to reduce exposure in your home, check out the Government of Canada's Air Quality and Health page at canada.ca
Alberta Health Services recommends the following tips to reduce the impact on indoor air quality during an air quality event:
Think about ways to keep the poor air quality out of your home, such as:
Your heating / cooling / ventilation systems:
For more information on air quality events, visit albertahealthservices.ca
The Town of Okotoks hosted a Green Living Workshop in 2023 on improving indoor air quality. In the below video, you can learn more about particulate matter (a significant contaminant associated with wildfire smoke events), associated health effects, and how to improve indoor air quality in your home, including how to build a home air filter.
A Portable Air Monitoring Laboratory (PAML) truck will be stationed in the bus loop between Okotoks Junior High School and Percy Pegler School from August 2024 until July 2025.
This Portable Air Monitoring Laboratory (PAML) is operated by the Calgary Regional Airshed Zone (CRAZ) Society with funding from the Government of Alberta. The truck will monitor and report on outdoor air quality in Okotoks in real-time using the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI). The data will also be used to inform CRAZ’s long-term strategy for ambient air quality monitoring in this region. You can view the monitoring data publicly at craz.ca/monitoring.
For any questions about this project, please get in touch by calling 403-835-0438.
Radon gas is invisible, odourless, and tasteless. It comes from the ground when uranium in soil and rock breaks down. Uranium occurs naturally in many types of rock. Radon gas breaks down to form radioactive elements that can be inhaled and cause health risks. When radon gas is released from the ground into the outdoor air, it is diluted, so exposure to radon outdoors is not a concern. However, when radon enters your home or another enclosed building it can accumulate to high levels and become a health risk for the people who regularly occupy the building.
All homes in Canada have radon gas in them. Radon levels can be elevated if there is a high amount of uranium in the underlying rock and soil, but the level inside your home depends on how easy it is for radon to get in through openings where the house contacts the ground and how well interior spaces are ventilated. Radon concentrations vary from one house to the next, so even if your house is a similar design to your neighbour’s, the radon levels can be different. The only way to know the radon level in your home is to test.
Watch our online workshop on Indoor Air Quality presented by Colin Dumais of Radon West
When?
Testing should be conducted during the heating season when temperatures outside are colder. Radon levels are typically higher during the colder months because of the pressure difference between inside and outside, and because your windows and doors are kept closed to keep the heat in, allowing for radon gas to accumulate indoors. Testing during the heating season provides a more conservative estimate of exposure.
What?
You can purchase a do-it-yourself radon test kit or electronic monitor to test your home yourself. Find a local provider of radon test kits HERE.
You can also hire a professional to do radon testing for you. Find a qualified professional HERE.
Where?
Measurements should be made in the lowest lived-in level of the home (i.e., occupied more than 4 hours per day). Bedrooms on the main floor or basement should be prioritized. Tests should not be conducted in bathrooms, kitchens, or laundry rooms. Place the device somewhere that will not be disturbed and where there is space for air flow around it (i.e., at least 30 cm from the floor, ceiling, or an exterior wall). See the Health Canada Guide below for more tips on device placement.
For how long?
Because radon levels in homes vary over time, testing should be conducted over a period of no less than 91 days. Longer tests give a more accurate estimate.
Health Canada Guide for Radon Measurements in Homes
*Note: The Town of Okotoks offers free electronic radon monitors that can be booked by Okotoks residents for a period of one week at no cost. This short duration measurement can give you a snapshot of radon levels in your home but should not replace long-term testing.
The Canadian guideline for radon in indoor air for dwellings is 200 Becquerels per cubic metre (200 Bq/m3). Health Canada recommends taking action to reduce radon levels in your home if they exceed this value.
For more information, visit the Health Canada resources below or contact a radon professional: