Action required to ensure clean air in Ontario schools

Proposed NDP legislation would be a good start, writes Chris Paswisty.

Breathing clean air in our homes, schools and communities is now a basic human right, but increasing evidence demonstrates that more needs to be done in Ontario.

Last summer, we saw children in Ontario schools experience negative respiratory effects from wildfires, and as COVID-19 variants continue, we are seeing the rapid spread of airborne illnesses among school-aged children.

Most airborne illnesses are a symptom of poor indoor air quality in buildings and although newer schools have the mechanical systems installed to filter the air, some still need a more robust filtration system. During the pandemic, we saw HEPA filters being installed in some classrooms, but older buildings still rely on opening windows, which is not always a viable option.

Concepts such as `cooling areas', or installing new air conditioning units, will not solve the problem. These do not ventilate nor filter the air in the buildings.

Last year, New Brunswick began monitoring air quality in schools and found that 83 per cent of the schools assessed exceeded peak CO2 limits. Even more concerning is that the CO2 limits set by the Department of Education in New Brunswick were found to be much higher than safe levels of CO2, which are set at 1,000 ppm (parts per million).

Unfortunately, the current situation in Ontario lacks the same transparency.

The Ontario government does not require any type of ventilation verification process, which would measure, regulate, and report air quality levels within our schools. Poor air quality not only leads to an increase in airborne illnesses, but also higher levels of CO2 and pollutants, which negatively affect our children's health and learning environments.

Children spend approximately 140 hours a month in school. We need to ensure that they are not at risk. This starts with legislation and funding to enable the proper retrofitting of air ventilation and filtration systems, as well as regular monitoring and maintenance of those systems. With the outdated systems currently in place, schools are experiencing `sick building syndrome.' Dirty air is just being pushed around. Not implementing proper filtration systems will only lead to further illness for our children and missed learning opportunities.

One mother in Waterloo, Ont., went so far as to not send her child to school until a HEPA filter was installed in the classroom after her child spent two weeks in hospital and six weeks at home due to pneumonia.

SMART Canada is a Canadian union whose members have spent decades designing, installing, and maintaining air ventilation and filtration systems in homes, hospitals, schools, offices, and industrial buildings.

Our certified members work to ensure Canadians are protected indoors from environmental effects. As we recover from a worldwide pandemic and Canada experiences an increase in natural disasters, from heat waves to forest fires to tornadoes, building structure and safety, including indoor air quality, are more important than ever.

Bottom line: we need to change the way we think about indoor air quality in schools and the funding we put into it.

A solution is required. The Ontario Opposition NDP bill, Improving Air Quality for Our Children Act, is a good start.

The act calls for measuring and reporting indoor air-quality levels in schools, mandatory installation of CO2 monitors in all classrooms, and the development of an air-quality action plan.

This plan would trigger steps to be implemented when CO2 levels approach or exceed the maximum threshold. If the legislation passes, data would become available to understand current indoor air-quality levels and how much investment is needed to provide safe and clean air in our schools across Ontario.

There is no dispute that our schools should be a healthy and safe environment for our most precious and vulnerable population.

Government and all stakeholders need to work together to implement the necessary measures to monitor and install the proper air ventilation and filtration systems.

Our children deserve better.