1st Update From Mayor's Task Force On Air Quality

By Michelle Cyr-Whiting

                           -- file photo 1st Air Quality Advisory of 2007 (January)

Although announced during the 2005 election campaign, the Mayor’s Task Force on Air Quality has just given its first status report to Prince George City Council.

Chair, Dr. Howard Brunt, replaced Dr. Charles Jago who resigned from the position.  Dr. Brunt has outlined a three-phase approach for councillors that would see a final report on air quality coming back to council chambers sometime between October and December of this year.

Between now and April, Dr. Brunt says members of the task force will review and evaluate the steps already taken to improve air quality that were recommended in the 1998 Prince George Air Quality Plan and subsequent 2004 Progress Report.

In addition, the group has scheduled a series of meetings over the next six weeks with public agencies (Ministry of Environment, City Staff), citizen organizations (PACHA, the North Nechako Residents Association), and other stakeholder groups (Industry) to seek their input and advice on the review.

Brunt says the task force hopes to release interim recommendations to the public by late spring, at the earliest, but possibly not until the fall, and then embark on a series of consultations to critically appraise and improve upon the suggestions.

"At the end of the day, we hope our recommendations are actionable, we don’t want a list of 500 things that will not be accomplished," he says, "We would like a very short list, but very poignant list of things we believe can be done that are realistic and based on best practises...in relation to things such as governance, monitoring, research and other practises related to air quality management."

Councillor Don Bassermann says, "I’m particularly appreciative of the way you’ve structured your approach to doing the work and have created at each stage of the game, opportunity for the public to have some input or some opportunity for dialogue and that’s going to be extremely valuable." 

Bassermann wished the task force well with it’s ambitious time-line.  To which, Councillor Don Zurowski responded, "I wish us well, as well.  This has been a priority of council and the citizens of Prince George for quite some time and it’s a tough one to take on."

"I’m delighted to hear that you that you’re speaking to some of the specific interest groups - PACHA, the Nechako Residents - I think there’s some good ideas that come out of the groups," but Zurowski adds, "What we’re charged with in here is being practical, as well, as how can we implement them in a practical way that doesn’t cause shock, but rather improvement."

The task force is in the process of establishing an air quality website that will serve as a clearinghouse for its information and activities.  Brunt says, "We want this to be a one-stop shop for AQ information, and to be a legacy of the TF when we have completed our work."

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