Council Asked to Deal with Smog
October 24, 2005

Wednesday marks the first anniversary of Hamilton 's worst air day - a provincial record of 103 on the air quality index set on October 26, 2004. To mark the event and try and get some local action going to improve things, the Hamilton Action for Social Change (HASC) group is holding a vigil outside city council.

The city didn't surpass the 103 level in 2005, but along with much of southern Ontario, it did suffer through more than 40 smog days. HASC pointedly asks: "Are we allowing ourselves to get used to smog? How much poisonous air is acceptable?"

Vigil organizers also hope to focus attention on the threat posed by global climate change. The record hot summer Hamilton just endured is likely connected to that, and the extra heat is known to worsen the health problems associated with polluted air.

HASC has some suggestions for city action, including passing an anti-idling bylaw, lowering transit fares, expanding bike lanes, and embracing smart growth principles such as protecting agricultural lands. Their vigil is scheduled to take place from 6 to 7 pm. More information about HASC can be found at www.hwcn.org/link/hasc.