Canada scored 84 out of 100 in the latest air quality rankings—well above the average of 71 for other developed countries. The country stood out in particular for keeping fine particle pollution (PM2.5) at very low levels. On average, Canadians are exposed to just 6.5 micrograms per cubic meter, which is lower than both Canada’s own air quality standard and the World Health Organization’s target.
Almost 98% of Canadians live in areas where air pollution from fine particles stays within safe health limits. When it comes to the impact of this kind of pollution on people’s health, Canada ranks 5th best among its peers, showing that cleaner air is making a real difference.
Despite strong results overall, Canada didn’t perform as well when it came to ozone and nitrogen dioxide levels. It ranked 12th for average ozone exposure and 15th for health impacts linked to ozone. These pollutants tend to be more common in cities and busy traffic areas, pointing to where improvements in air quality could still be made.
For nitrogen oxides (NOx), Canada ranked 14th with an average concentration of 12.49 ppb. This slightly exceeds the upcoming 2025 national air quality standard of 12.0 ppb, reinforcing the need for continued innovation in transportation emissions and industrial regulation.
Notably, the Fraser Institute’s framework doesn’t just emphasize pollution levels. Instead, it accounts for both exposure and health impact, giving greater weight to pollutants with more severe consequences. Fine particulate matter carries the highest weighting at 50%, followed by ozone (33.3%) and nitrogen oxides (16.7%).
Rather than pushing for new regulation, the report underscores the importance of Canada’s evidence-based environmental management—an approach that’s driven measurable results over decades without overregulation. The data suggests that while Canada’s air quality story is largely a success, attention to emerging trends in ozone and NOx exposure will be critical for maintaining its leadership status.
