Major weather systems come to us from the west and up the Atlantic seaboard, bringing pollutants into our region from the more industrialized and densely populated areas of the United States and Central Canada. Once the pollutants arrive in our province, geography and weather come into play. Particularly in the southern part of the province, cool sea breezes from the Bay of Fundy can slow the dispersal of pollutants and concentrate air pollution close to ground level. The polluted air may travel offshore and return inland, possibly more than once, leading to episodes of reduced air quality. Because the formation of ground-level ozone depends on weather conditions, the severity of smog can vary greatly from one year to the next.
Significant ozone episodes in New Brunswick occur on average about six times per summer.
Some individuals, especially those with heart and respiratory conditions, are affected at lower levels. If you have concerns about the effect of ground-level ozone on your health, you should consult with your physician. Ground-level ozone can also cause damage to sensitive crops such as potatoes and tomatoes, cause noticeable damage to forests and other vegetation, and weaken rubber and attack metals and painted surfaces. Since then, several other provinces have adopted it as a way of making air quality information available to the public. To make IQUA information available to as many people as possible, so that they can make appropriate decisions to protect their health and plan their activities, recorded messages are provided as part of Environment Canada's telephone weather forecast system.