Air

Goal: To improve air quality and reduce emissions.
EMP Air Header

Human activities such as transportation, electricity generation and emissions from industrial processes can contribute to reduced air quality. Air pollution can have significant negative impacts on human health. Vegetation, fish and wildlife can all be impacted. Related to air quality is greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, gases that absorb radiation from the sun and trap heat in the atmosphere. Reducing emissions will protect local air quality and mitigate climate change.

What can you do?

  • Use your Green Cart and reduce food waste to keep organic waste out of the landfill. Organics decomposing in landfills are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions
  • Grow some of your own food to reduce emissions from transporting food
  • Reduce unnecessary vehicle idling
  • Improve energy efficiency in your house, business or apartment. The Energy & Water Conservation Toolkit available free at Red Deer Public Library can help
  • Plant trees
  • Learn about air quality issues in our region
  • Comply with fire bans when air quality is poor

Check out our progress towards achieving our goals to improve air quality and reduce emissions below.

Air quality

Measuring ambient concentrations of airborne pollutants as defined by the Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards (CAAQS). 

Red Exceeded national standards
Orange Action needed to prevent exceeding national standards
Yellow Action to prevent air quality deterioration
Green Action to keep clean areas clean
2023 Results - Partly Achieving
  Baseline (2009) 2023 Result Target (2035): not to exceed
Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Yellow Yellow Yellow
Ozone (O3) Yellow Yellow Yellow
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) Green Green Yellow
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) Orange Orange Yellow
Historical results
  PM2.5 O3 SO2 NO2
2023 Yellow Yellow Green Orange
2022 Yellow Yellow Green Orange
2021 Orange Yellow Green Orange
2020 Orange Yellow Green Orange
2019 Orange Yellow Green** Orange**
2018 Orange Yellow Green**  Orange** 
2017 Orange Yellow Green**  Orange** 
2016 Yellow Yellow Green**  Orange** 
2015 Orange Yellow Green**  Orange** 
2014 Orange Yellow Green**  Orange** 
2013 Red  Yellow Green**  Orange** 
2012 Red  Yellow  Green**  Red** 
2011 Red  Yellow  Green**  Orange** 
2010 Orange Yellow  Green**  Orange** 
2009 Yellow Yellow Green** Orange**

** Prior to 2020, SO2 and NO2 were calculated differently and were not assigned colours. These are unofficial estimates as to what the status would have been.

Greenhouse gas emissions

Measuring greenhouse gas emissions for The City of Red Deer as an organization and for Red Deer as a whole. Measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e)*.

2023 Results
  Baseline (2010) 2023 Result Target (2035)
City operations (tCO2e) 174,204 146,853 50% reduction from 2010 baseline
Community (tCO2e) 1,670,945 1,222,783 Not more than 10% increase from 2010 baseline
Historical results**
  City operations (tCO2e) Community (tCO2e)
2023 146,853 1,222,783
2022 152,173 1,379,968
2021 126,976 1,346,118
2020 129,947 1,371,181  
2019 139,656 1,539,141
2018 140,966 1,609,832
2017 140,067 1,661,623
2016 141,931 1,614,797
2015 146,079 1,658,772
2014 155,985 1,610,378
2013 149,241 1,561,168
2012 150,706 1,602,665
2011 145,830 1,642,696
2010 174,204 1,670,945

* tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e): there are several greenhouse gases, all of which have a different impact. For example, one tonne of methane has the same impact as 28 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Rather than listing all the different greenhouse gases separately, we convert them all to carbon dioxide equivalent to come up with one total number. 

** The data presented is currently undergoing a verification process.  This means the current numbers that are presented could potentially change due to improved methodology.  Please note that the current totals for 2022 and 2010 have been verified and are presented using the improved methodology.