Community Knowledge Centre - Toronto Community Foundation

About this organization

Mission

Pollution Probe is a Canadian charitable environmental organization that

• Defines environmental problems through research
• Promotes understanding through education
• Presses for practical solutions through advocacy

Pollution Probe is dedicated to achieving positive and tangible environmental change. 

History of Organization

Founded in 1969, Pollution Probe is an original – it was the first environmental organization in Canada.  Over its 41-year history, Pollution Probe has focused on collaborative solutions that engage all necessary stakeholders, be they industry, government or the public.  Pollution Probe strives for positive and practical solutions based in sound science and research.

Through this unique approach, Pollution Probe has advanced Canadian environmental policy in a tangible way:  introducing the Blue Box recycling program to Ontario; helping to establish federal regulations on the sulphur content of gasoline; leading the development of Ontario’s mandatory vehicle emissions testing program; and, helping to develop the recently announced federal greenhouse gas emissions regulations for light duty vehicles.

Pollution Probe has a proven track record in advancing policy in an objective manner, making it one of the most trusted and respected environmental organizations in Canada.

Accolades and Accomplishments

• Blue Bins: Instrumental in developing and promoting recycling programs in Ontario.
• Mandatory Vehicle Emissions Testing in Ontario: Instrumental in the passage of Ontario legislation leading to establishment of Drive Clean program.
• Annual Clean Air Commute: Running since 1993. Also the program upon which the national commuter challenge has been based.
• Significant voice in favour of stringent sulphur-in-fuel regulations and tax deductions for transit passes.
• SMART Movement Programme: which helped form the basis of the Smart Commute Association
• Public Awareness on Smog: Educated more than 12 million Canadians via media campaign about the harmful environmental and health effects of smog, and promoted practical ways to reduce it.
• GHG Emission Standards in Light Duty Vehicles: Instrumental in the recent regulations, announced April 2010. 

Programs

>Clean Air Commute
>Moving Towards an Electric Mobility Master Plan (EMMP) for the City of Toronto

While Pollution Probe conducts research in various fields, its current focus is on three distinct program areas. Namely;

Transportation: Through informed research, stakeholder consultation, and detailed analyses, Pollution Probe’s Transportation Program investigates policy and technology mechanisms to reduce the environmental impact of freight and passenger transportation.

Energy: Pollution Probe’s Energy Program works to improve public education on energy issues and to promote the development of effective energy strategies and policies with all governments, businesses, and communities to help us advance shared social, economic and environmental goals.

Chemicals Management: Pollution Probe’s Chemicals Management Program focuses on protecting public health and the environment by helping reduce exposure to harmful substances.

Clean Air Commute

The Clean Air Commute (CAC) is a workplace event that encourages employees to walk, cycle, take transit, carpool, telecommute, or drive a hybrid instead of driving alone to work. The CAC was the first program of its kind, dating back to 1993. Since then numerous other organizations have begun to run similar programs.

How the Clean Air Commute Works (It’s Easy)

1. You designate a Clean Air Commute Coordinator to promote the week-long event at your workplace by encouraging employees to take transit, carpool, walk, bike or telecommute for the week.

2. We send the Coordinator a Clean Air Commute Registration Kit with all the necessary promotional materials, prizes and lunchtime clinic options, including a series of eye-catching posters and full-colour e-mail templates to help raise awareness in your workplace.

3. Your employees can track their progress and see how much pollution they’ve kept out of our air during the week through an interactive “diary card” on our website or through a paper card.

4. Once the Clean Air Commute is over, the grand prizes and workplace competition are awarded. We also have a final tally to find out how much air pollution was saved from all participating workplaces that week.

Funding and Program Partners

Pollution Probe would like to thank its sponsors for their generous support and making this program possible:

Presenting Sponsor- the Government of Ontario
Lead Sponsor- Parsons
Sponsors- Enbirdge, Imperial Oil Foundation
Supporter- Smart Commute

Program Impact

Since it’s inception in 1993, the Clean Air Commute has:

• Registered over 650 GTA workplaces
• Saved over 4,000 tonnes of air pollutants from going into the air (NOx, SOx, VOCs, CO, CO2) (since 2000 when reporting of pollutants was introduced to the event)

On average, between 70-80% of the individuals who switched from driving alone to a cleaner mode of transportation during the event said they intend to continue on a permanent basis (based on surveying done since reporting began in 2001). Over the past 17 years, the event has succeeded in switching thousands of people to alternative methods of transportation.

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

“Toronto’s density poses challenges and provides transportation opportunities:

• High density is not directly related to lower dependence on the automobile and higher use of public transit, but it does create options for development that favour alternative transportation patterns. A comparison between the Toronto Region (27 people/ha) and other metropolitan areas shows that densely populated European cities like Madrid (74 people/ha) and Berlin (39 people/ha) have dramatically higher levels of public transit, walking and cycling, while sparsely populated US regions like Denver (15 people/ha) and Atlanta (6.8 people/ha) depend almost entirely on private motorized transportation.” (Toronto’s Vital Signs®, 2009)

Participant Vignette

Ellen de Guerre’s workplace, the Town of Richmond Hill, has been a long-time participant in Pollution Probe’s Clean Air Commute™ so carpooling to work is nothing new to her. Ellen has lots of reasons for sharing her ride to work: firstly, when carpooling with one person, there is one less car on the road each day for her 120 km round-trip commute – not only is that a reduction in traffic but that’s a big plus for the environment. For Ellen, carpooling also saves money by reducing her highway toll bill from $300/month to $150/month. This amounts to a savings of $1800/year, not including the savings on gas and wear and tear on her vehicle! Finding “carpool buddies”, as she calls them, has not been difficult. In fact, she found one carpool buddy in an elevator when she overheard a woman mention where she lived. Since it was close to where Ellen lived, she approached her about sharing rides and a “carpool buddy” was born. Over the years, Ellen has also found fellow carpoolers through the www.carpoolzone.ca website. Ellen feels great about making the switch to carpooling and is always looking for more carpool buddies. “I honestly could not live with myself if I was not doing some form of clean air commuting, particularly because my workplace is so far from home…I only wish that more people would consider clean air commuting options. The presence of global warming is no longer in doubt and if we, as individuals, continue to ignore it, the earth will undergo significant negative environmental changes that we cannot afford. One does not have to give up a lot to make a difference. Small changes, being flexible and giving up a few conveniences can make a difference.”

Moving Towards an Electric Mobility Master Plan (EMMP) for the City of Toronto

The combustion of fossil fuels (e.g. gasoline and diesel) to power passenger and freight transportation produces over a third of Toronto’s total GHG emissions. Electric mobility (i.e. the use of systems that are fully or partially powered by electricity) is gaining momentum as a sustainable transportation opportunity and a means to reduce transportation emissions in Toronto. Toronto has been using electric transportation for decades, in the form of streetcars and subways. Electric vehicles (EV) such as electric scooters are on the roads today, and family-sized cars are expected to become available as early as 2011. EV use can shift emissions from the tailpipe to the point of electricity generation. Given low-emission generation, emissions associated with charging EVs can be lower than those released from the tailpipes of conventional vehicles. Moving Towards an Electric Mobility Master Plan (EMMP) for the City of Toronto reviews existing and upcoming EV technologies, and analyzes the potential impact that EV-use can have on the electricity grid and emissions. Through background research, scenario simulation analyses and a workshop, the elements that will comprise an effective plan for incorporating electric vehicles into Toronto’s transportation system – minimizing air emissions from vehicle use and the impact to the electricity distribution system – have been identified.

Funding and Program Partners

Pollution Probe would like to thank its funders for their generous support of the EMMP project:

Toronto Community Foundation
Toronto Atmospheric Fund
The Ontario Ministry of Transportation
Metrolinx

The EMMP was developed in cooperation with Toronto Hydro.

Program Impact

Proactive planning for the arrival of electric vehicles, as outlined in the EMMP, will make it easier for individuals to make the switch from conventional vehicles. The switch to electric vehicles provides the opportunity to contribute to emissions reduction targets set by the City of Toronto.

The EMMP analysis has calculated that electric vehicles could contribute up to:

• 10 per cent of Toronto’s annual target for GHG emissions reductions in 2015
• 23 per cent of Toronto’s annual target for GHG emissions reductions in 2020
• 37 per cent of Toronto’s annual target for GHG emissions reductions in 2030.

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

“Toronto’s density poses challenges and provides transportation opportunities. High density is not directly related to lower dependence on the automobile and higher use of public transit, but it does create options for development that favour alternative transportation patterns.”

“Congestion is costly, and reducing commute times would boost productivity and prosperity.”

“Rapid Transit sets records for ridership, but lacks adequate infrastructure: the patchwork of transportation systems that serves the GTHA has failed to keep up with population growth.” (Toronto’s Vital Signs®, 2009)

The EMMP recognizes the opportunities in Toronto for personal electric vehicles, as well as electrified modes of public transportation; it identifies how electric vehicles can reduce the social and economic costs that result from vehicle emissions; and it identifies the importance of investment, cooperation, collaboration and partnerships in infrastructure development for electrified transportation modes. 

Participant Vignette

The findings of the EMMP background research and scenario analysis were circulated to stakeholders for review.  One reviewer comments that, “This is going to be a very helpful and timely document – congrats on all the hard work!”  The report served to feed into the discussion at the EMMP workshop, the objective of which was to help identify the critical elements that could comprise a successful integration of electric vehicles into a sustainable transportation plan for the City of Toronto.

Over 50 stakeholders attended the workshop, and included representatives from:

• Automotive manufacturers;
• Municipal and Provincial governments;
• Utility providers;
• Infrastructure providers;
• Fleet managers; and
• Non governmental organizations.

Enthusiasm and the level of interest at the workshop were high.  One attendee commented, “Congratulations. You deserve a lot of credit for the success of the workshop and for the draft report. And also congratulations to the entire Pollution Probe team. It’s reassuring to know that you are still filling that unique gap in the dialogue on some of the most critical issues – essentially bringing people together who should have been talking but weren’t. It’s also wonderful to see how you all pull together to help each other out. Great work!” 

Another participant said: “Great workshop.  It was wonderful to sit face-to-face with manufacturers, province, utilities, etc. and discuss the issues.”