Fort St. John one of North America’s worst cities for air quality in 2023

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Fort St. John had North America’s fourth poorest air quality in 2023, according to the latest report from Swiss-based IQ Air.

IQ Air is a company centred in Goldach, Switzerland, that monitors air quality and finds solutions in sustainability.

The corporation tested the air quality of 7,812 cities globally, looking for levels of particulate matter of less than a diameter of 2.5 micrometres (PM2.5).  

PM2.5 data is reported in units of micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) and should adhere to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines implemented in 2021. Examples of PM2.5 include sulphates, black carbon, nitrates, and ammonium.

Fort St. John had a PM2.5 rating of 18.7 µg/m3, far exceeding the WHO’s recommended rating of 5. 

The top ten cities with the worst air quality in North America were all based in Canada, marking the first time Canada had surpassed the United States in terms of air pollution. 

Wildfires burning throughout the country in 2023 were the most contributing reason, said IQ Air.

“During May, the monthly average PM2.5 levels in Alberta, Canada, surged almost ninefold compared to the same period in 2022,” the company said.

Fort McMurray, Alberta, had the poorest in Canada, with a level of 22.8 µg/m3. 

Globally, Canada Ranked 91st in air quality, with Bangladesh having the highest concentration of air pollutants.

The full report can be viewed below: