The Ministry of Environment has posted a report detailing the significant decrease in cruise ship emissions over the past few years that has resulted in better air quality for James Bay residents.
For the past several years, the ministry has been working with the James Bay Neighbourhood Association, Island Health, the University of Victoria, the NW & Canada Cruise Association, and the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority to address air quality related to cruise ship emissions.
Air quality data collected at a mobile air monitoring lab set up on Erie Street and at the Topaz Avenue regional air monitoring station show improvements since 2009. The daily average for sulphur dioxide, according to World Health Organization air quality guidelines, was not exceeded at either station in 2015. And more than 99 per cent of hours recorded at both stations fall within the Island Health risk category of good air quality.
The report concludes that new regulations requiring cruise ships to either use fuels with low sulphur content or reduce emissions by using control technologies has been highly effective.
