The Town of Cochrane has been a member of CRAZ (Calgary Regional Airshed Zone) since 2010 as a way to keep tabs on the quality of the air we breathe on a more regular basis.
Forty air quality monitoring systems have been strategically placed by CRAZ on a grid throughout the Calgary area — eight within Calgary, 32 outside — one of which is located inside a 15-km radius of Cochrane.
One of the main initiatives CRAZ is attempting to tackle is to get single-occupancy vehicles off the roads by encouraging carpooling and allowing more employees to work from home.
“Hopefully it will be well received,” said CRAZ executive director Jill Bloor, adding that her organization also participates in the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan consultations and is willing to conduct education outreach programs for those interested.
“Air is now moving along in peoples’ awareness,” asserted Cochrane mayor Truper McBride, saying water is not the only concern when it comes to pollutants.
Questioned on whether Cochrane area gas plants monitor air quality in their respective regions, Mandeep Dhaliwal of CRAZ confirmed that they indeed do have their own monitoring systems on site and are regulated to screen for pollutants.
In total, 40 municipalities are members of CRAZ.
Visit craz.ca for more information as well as real-time air quality data.
