Breathing in British Columbia is Injurious to Health.

Air pollution threatens the health of 5.0 million people across 28 districts in British Columbia. The average PM2.5 level is 7.2 µg/m³—1.4× higher than the WHO guideline.

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Brought to you by Amrit Sharma

Overview

Air Pollution in British Columbia

British Columbia faces significant air pollution challenges. 68% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 5.0 million across 28 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 7.2µg/m³. That's 1.4 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 119 cigarettes in a year.

Trends

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 µg/m³.

Health Impact

Life Expectancy Impact

If British Columbia met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.21 years longer.

That's 1.1M years of life stolen from 5.0 million people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Most Polluted

Districts with Highest Pollution

The top 10 most polluted districts in British Columbia. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

  • 1.Northern Rockies
    4 years lost
  • 2.Peace River
    2.6 years lost
  • 3.Fraser-Fort George
    1.5 years lost
  • 4.Columbia-Shuswap
    0.9 years lost
  • 5.Cariboo
    0.9 years lost
  • 6.Central Okanagan
    0.8 years lost
  • 7.North Okanagan
    0.7 years lost
  • 8.Thompson-Nicola
    0.7 years lost
  • 9.Okanagan-Similkameen
    0.7 years lost
  • 10.Bulkley-Nechako
    0.7 years lost
Exposure

Population Exposure by Pollution Level

Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³—only populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.

< 5 µg/m³
17.8%
893K
5-10 µg/m³
63.2%
3.2M
10-15 µg/m³
15.4%
774K
15-25 µg/m³
2.1%
104K
25-35 µg/m³
1.4%
69K
> 35 µg/m³
0.1%
6K
Districts

All 28 Districts in British Columbia

Complete air quality data for every district in British Columbia, sorted by population.

DistrictPopulationPM2.5 µg/m³Years Lost
Greater Vancouver2.7M
5.2
0.0 years
Capital408K
4.9
0.0 years
Fraser Valley318K
6.1
0.1 years
Central Okanagan214K
13.4
0.8 years
Nanaimo167K
4.7
0.0 years
Thompson-Nicola145K
12.3
0.7 years
Comox-Strathcona117K
4.8
0.0 years
Fraser-Fort George104K
19.8
1.5 years
North Okanagan92K
12.6
0.7 years
Okanagan-Similkameen91K
12.2
0.7 years
Cowichan Valley89K
4.8
0.0 years
Peace River69K
31.6
2.6 years
Cariboo68K
14.1
0.9 years
East Kootenay66K
10.9
0.6 years
Central Kootenay65K
9.8
0.5 years
Columbia-Shuswap56K
14.5
0.9 years
Squamish-Lillooet46K
7.4
0.2 years
Bulkley-Nechako41K
12.2
0.7 years
Kitimat-Stikine40K
6.7
0.2 years
Kootenay Boundary34K
8.3
0.3 years
Alberni-Clayoquot32K
4.5
0.0 years
Sunshine Coast30K
4.9
0.0 years
Powell River21K
4.6
0.0 years
Skeena-Queen Charlotte19K
3.2
0.0 years
Mount Waddington11K
3.5
0.0 years
Northern Rockies6K
46.1
4.0 years
Central Coast4K
6.4
0.1 years
Stikine1K
9.0
0.4 years

Showing 28 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.