National Air Pollution Surveillance MOU

Summary#

The government published a Memorandum of Understanding Respecting the National Air Pollution Surveillance Program that sets out how Environment and Climate Change Canada and provincial and territorial governments will run and share Canada’s national air-quality monitoring network. The MOU took effect October 25, 2019 and runs for five years, expiring October 25, 2024.

What it does#

• Defines the roles for managing the National Air Pollution Surveillance (NAPS) Program between federal and provincial/territorial partners.
• Environment and Climate Change Canada will:
  • provide monitoring equipment (which remains ECCC property), lab analysis, national quality assurance and training, and maintain the Canada‑Wide Air Quality Database.
  • supply replacement monitoring equipment after about 12 years of service and pay shipping for sampling media, components and equipment it provides.
  • publish Quality Assured Integrated Data by December 31 each year and provide AQHI forecasts for sites identified for that purpose.
• Provinces and territories will:
  • provide sites, land and infrastructure, install and operate monitoring equipment, and handle maintenance, calibration and local data collection.
  • submit Quality Assured Continuous Data to ECCC by June 30 each year and share near-real-time data for AQHI forecasting where required.
• Data-sharing rules:
  • Continuous data belong to the province/territory that collected them; integrated data belong to ECCC.
  • Each side grants the other broad rights to use and publish the quality‑assured data, with attribution.
• Meetings and planning:
  • NAPS managers meet twice a year, with an in-person meeting no later than June 21 and a conference call no later than December 21.
  • Each Party prepares an annual Work Plan and Annual Report.
• Term, review and withdrawal:
  • The MOU is for five years (effective October 25, 2019 to October 25, 2024) and may be reviewed a year before expiry.
  • A Party may withdraw with three months’ written notice.
• Administrative details:
  • The MOU is a non‑binding administrative agreement and does not create enforceable legal obligations.
• Small cost thresholds noted in the MOU:
  • ECCC covers Components that exceed $100 (routine) or $500 (in‑year requests).

Who's affected#

• Environment and Climate Change Canada and provincial/territorial environment ministries and their NAPS program managers.
• People who run and service air monitoring stations (laboratories, technicians, contractors).
• Researchers, public-health agencies, media and members of the public who rely on national air quality data and AQHI forecasts.
• Local communities where monitoring sites are located.
• (The MOU was signed by all provinces and territories; examples include Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec.)

Why it matters#

• It keeps Canada’s national air-quality monitoring network coordinated across federal and provincial lines. That helps produce consistent, quality-assured data for air‑pollution trends, public health advice, and policy decisions.
• The agreement clarifies who owns which data and who can publish it, which affects public access to air‑quality information.
• It commits ECCC to supply and replace key equipment and run national lab and quality programs, which supports ongoing monitoring and forecasting (including AQHI), important for people with health concerns and for local planning.
• Because the MOU is non‑binding and subject to each Party’s resources, the exact level of equipment or services provided may depend on available funding and local choices.