Many air quality issues are local, so province-wide solutions may be inappropriate and inefficient. Airshed zones allow local stakeholders to design local solutions to address local air quality issues.

An airshed zone can be defined on the basis of emissions sources and volumes, dispersion characteristics, impacts, and administrative characteristics. Collaboration among zones improves access to, and sharing of, resources.

The airshed zone approach makes it possible to: 

•  improve existing monitoring in the region
•  make local and regional monitoring systems more efficient
• collect date to address regional air quality concerns
• obtain information about regional air quality

To date, CASA has endorsed eight airshed zones throughout the province, using approved Airshed Zones Guidelines. Endorsement of a ninth airshed zone is pending.

Learn more about Alberta Airshed Zones.