While emissions remained stable in 2004 and 2005, Canada's greenhouse gas levels continue to hover well above 1990 levels and the nation's targets under the Kyoto Protocol, a new Statistics Canada report states.
The third annual report suggests total emissions increased over the 1990 to 2005 period due to increased economic activity.
The report was jointly prepared by Environment Canada, Statistics Canada and Health Canada. It found that greenhouse gases, smog and water pollution levels remain troubling -- while the indicator of exposure to toxic emissions has increased over time.
The report suggests measures to protect aquatic life were not met, at least occasionally, at many monitoring sites across the country.
Twenty-three per cent of the water sites tested received a "marginal" or "poor" designation.
Phosphorous, a pollutant derived mainly from human activities, continued to be a major concern for freshwater lakes and rivers in Canada.
Most of the phosphorus found in Canadian waterways comes from sewage, agricultural runoff and industrial wastewater.
The report also states that exposure to ground-level ozone, a component of smog, has significantly increased, especially in southern Ontario and parts of Quebec.
Ground-level ozone increased an average of 0.8 per cent a year between 1990 and 2005, representing an overall increase of 12 per cent in 15 years.
In 2005, Canada's greenhouse gas emissions were estimated at 747 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, up 25 per cent from 1990. These emissions were 33 per cent above the target set by the Kyoto Protocol.
However, the report says the intensity of emissions fell over the 15-year period with 17.8 per cent less greenhouse gases emitted per unit of economic activity in 2005 compared with 1990.
Greenhouse gas emissions also stabilized between 2003 and 2005 due primarily to a reduction in coal-fired energy generation and a reduced demand for home heating because of warmer winters. The stabilization was also credited to a reduced dependency on fossil fuels.
