No AirCare for Prince George in the Immediate Future

Saturday, November 05, 2005 05:25 AM

Mandatory testing of city vehicles for emissions is not something set to happen anytime soon.

Responding to a request from Prince George City Council on the status of vehicle emissions testing programs, Environment Minister Barry Penner says discussions are underway, right now, to determine the future of the AirCare Program in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.

Penner says both the light vehicle testing program and the AirCare On Road program for heavy vehicles are up for debate. In a letter, he says, "I will apprise you of the outcome of this review when it has been completed."

With reports over the summer that the air quality in Prince George is the third worst in the country (see related opinion250 article), city councillors had been looking for information on provincial plans to reduce air pollutants.

In requesting the update back in July, Mayor Colin Kinsley wrote, "Environment Canada has advised that automobile emissions are one of the largest contributing air pollutants in Canada. We would like to provide residents of our community the opportunity to have their vehicles tested and see a significant improvement in the reduction of vehicle pollutants within the City of Prince George."

The issue is one that has surfaced in the run-up to the November 19th municipal election. In a public forum hosted by the Chamber of Commerce yesterday, four of the five mayoralty candidates turned out and it was the one issue that found consensus. Incumbent Colin Kinsley says, if re-elected, he'll establish an environmental task force. Dan Rogers, says he'd immediately establish a Mayors Round Table on Air Quality to address what, he calls, "this significant environmental and health issue in the City." Trent Derrick and Nathan Prince agreed air quality would be a top priority. Candidate Tyler Doerkson did not attend the luncheon.

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Posted on Saturday, November 05, 2005 05:25 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: wrinkledawg on November 6 2005 9:52 AM

The air quality in this city would improve a whole lot if the city would curb the use of drive thru's at all of the fast food and coffee outlets.
Every time I drive by one the drive thru lane is usually bumper to bumper with idling vehicles with only 1-2 people in them.I have parked and walked into a Tim Hortons and been served and out to my pickup before the cars in the line up are thru.
Maybe these drive thru's should be reserved for the handicapped or say a minimum of three people to a vehicle.I think this would help in improving the air quality in P.G.
It sure would not hurt in any case to do this and as a bonus people would be gettig a bit of exercise.

Posted by: Opatcho on November 6 2005 10:37 AM

Does anyone check the Provincial Enviorment air quality advisory. I think not. I have beat this topic to death with repetion. Envioronment BC has five monitoring stations in the City. The two bad ones are at Plaza 400 and the BCrail industrial site and its not emmissions from vehicles its PM10. Strangley enough these are the two areas that have been ommitted from the Cities clean air bylaw. What ever Colin says about clean air is not clean but hot air.
It is unbeleivable that most of the candidates talk about improving the air quality within the City but they are all afraid to mention that its the industial section within the City that needs to clean up the air quality. Its a simple as that.