The Canadian new Air Quality Health Index, 2008 evaluation

The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is a new toll develops by Health Canada and Environment Canada in partnerships with health and environment agencies to better inform Canadian population about health impact of air quality and to help individuals take steps to protect their health. The AQHI incorporate the sum of health risks of three concurrent pollutants exposures: Ground-level ozone (O3), particulate matter (PM2.5/PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The values of AQHI range in a linear scale from 1 to 10+. The AQHI values are also grouped into health risk categories: Low 1-3, Moderate 4-6, High 7-10, or Very High Health Risk 10+. The maximum likely AQHI is predicted during the giving period forecast. So far the new AQHI have been implemented in 6 provinces: British Colombia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.