Quesnel Air Quality Roundtable | October 2009 Meeting

1. Introductions
2. Barbara Oake – Northern Health Update
   a. see attached
   b. People have been hired for the mobile emissions study in Prince George and it will be going ahead this winter. They will mostly be looking at the effect of woodstoves on local air quality.
   c. M. Cave asked if the mobile testing unit would be available for use in Quesnel in the future
       i. MoE: the unit is tied up for this year and we would have to apply to do a study here, we already know that woodstoves are a problem here, but it may be useful in outlying areas if the CRD does not move forward on a burning bylaw
3. R. Raynor brought up the fact that there is an economic impact of poor air quality as far as recruiting and retaining skilled workers to Quesnel and there was some discussion
   a. this has been identified as an economic issue here (people cite concern about poor air quality as a major factor in their decision to move to Quesnel)
   b. may be an opportunity for a Masters student to look at this?
4. Tracy Bond – Baker Creek Enhancement Society
   a. BCES ran the Woodstove Exchange Program this Spring, changed out 108 woodstoves
       i. there was funding to change out 150, so they will be continuing with the program on a first-come, first-serve basis until the rest of the rebates are used up (Provincial rebates only)
b. Sept 16 was the Vehicle Emissions Clinic, 76 vehicles went through
       i. Dora felt that there would have been higher participation if there were more volunteers to run two lines (people did not want to wait long in a line-up)
       ii. there are excellent recommendations for follow-up in the report provided by AirCare
   c. BCES would like to work on the emissions clinic follow-up, will be continuing with school programs, and are planning a burn trailer demonstration at the Winter Carnival
   d. the Ministry of Environment Climate Action Facilitator position (Jeannine McCormack) is finished as of Oct 27, BCES will be keeping Jeannine on in some capacity
   e. Oct 6 was the Citizens Conservation Council Summit in Quesnel
       i. brought in people from the Cariboo/Prince George area to discuss recommendations specific to our regions around what we need to effectively reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change
       ii. these recommendations will go directly to the Premier and Ministers involved
5. Graham Veale – Ministry of Environment
   a. see attached PowerPoint
   b. the targets for our management plan may/will have to change as we change out old sampling units (new samplers have increased analysis capabilities.) There will not be a change in the actual P.M. 2.5 that we are experiencing in Quesnel but the new analyzers will show higher P.M. 2.5 readings due to increased analyzer capability. There needs to be discussion on if/how to adapt the management plan as the targets were based on health standards and we won’t be able to meet targets with new machines
   c. speciation study results will be ready for Spring meeting
   d. some discussion around the Maple Drive sampling station: Maple Drive area is not following the downward trend of the other stations for some reason. BCES will look into parking lot sweeping schedules and possible outdoor wood boilers in the area as potential sources. Possibility to set up camera to look at sources of P.M. 10 and 2.5 readings. use old equipment from QSS to compare the percentage difference between the new analyzers and old analyzers
   e. Dora McMillan has been asked to sit on Northern Health advisory committee to represent the AQRT, also the Sustainability Taskforce to the City of Quesnel – everyone agreed this was appropriate
6. some discussion around the HMC sweeping schedule as it may relate to the anomalous Maple Drive readings, also that there may be an impact from the large amounts of land clearing in the area in recent months
7. Next Meetings: Reporting Meeting mid-May – tentatively booked May 18th, Planning Meeting in the Fall

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	Oct 20 Quesnel AQRT Meeting 1. Introductions 2. Barbara Oake – Northern Health Update a. see attached b. People have been hired for the mobile emissions study in Prince George and it will be going ahead this winter. They will mostly be looking at the effect of woodstoves on local air quality. c. M. Cave asked if the mobile testing unit would be available for use in Quesnel in the future i. MoE: the unit is tied up for this year and we would have to apply to do a study here, we already know that woodstoves are a problem here, but it may be useful in outlying areas if the CRD does not move forward on a burning bylaw 3. R. Raynor brought up the fact that there is an economic impact of poor air quality as far as recruiting and retaining skilled workers to Quesnel and there was some discussion a. this has been identified as an economic issue here (people cite concern about poor air quality as a major factor in their decision to move to Quesnel) b. may be an opportunity for a Masters student to look at this? 4. Tracy Bond – Baker Creek Enhancement Society a. BCES ran the Woodstove Exchange Program this Spring, changed out 108 woodstoves i. there was funding to change out 150, so they will be continuing with the program on a first-come, first-serve basis until the rest of the rebates are used up (Provincial rebates only) b. Sept 16 was the Vehicle Emissions Clinic, 76 vehicles went through i. Dora felt that there would have been higher participation if there were more volunteers to run two lines (people did not want to wait long in a line-up) ii. there are excellent recommendations for follow-up in the report provided by AirCare c. BCES would like to work on the emissions clinic follow-up, will be continuing with school programs, and are planning a burn trailer demonstration at the Winter Carnival d. the Ministry of Environment Climate Action Facilitator position (Jeannine McCormack) is finished as of Oct 27, BCES will be keeping Jeannine on in some capacity e. Oct 6 was the Citizens Conservation Council Summit in Quesnel i. brought in people from the Cariboo/Prince George area to discuss recommendations specific to our regions around what we need to effectively reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change ii. these recommendations will go directly to the Premier and Ministers involved 5. Graham Veale – Ministry of Environment a. see attached PowerPoint b. the targets for our management plan may/will have to change as we change out old sampling units (new samplers have increased analysis capabilities.) There will not be a change in the actual P.M. 2.5 that we are experiencing in Quesnel but the new analyzers will show higher P.M. 2.5 readings due to increased analyzer capability. There needs to be discussion on if/how to adapt the management plan as the targets were based on health standards and we won’t be able to meet targets with new machines c. speciation study results will be ready for Spring meeting d. some discussion around the Maple Drive sampling station: Maple Drive area is not following the downward trend of the other stations for some reason. BCES will look into parking lot sweeping schedules and possible outdoor wood boilers in the area as potential sources. Possibility to set up camera to look at sources of P.M. 10 and 2.5 readings. use old equipment from QSS to compare the percentage difference between the new analyzers and old analyzers e. Dora McMillan has been asked to sit on Northern Health advisory committee to represent the AQRT, also the Sustainability Taskforce to the City of Quesnel – everyone agreed this was appropriate 6. some discussion around the HMC sweeping schedule as it may relate to the anomalous Maple Drive readings, also that there may be an impact from the large amounts of land clearing in the area in recent months 7. Next Meetings: Reporting Meeting mid-May – tentatively booked May 18th, Planning Meeting in the Fall

Oct 20 Quesnel AQRT Meeting