Our work is paying off

by Ryan Murphy

Nov 15, 2024

Yesterday, Mandate Letters from Premier Susan Holt to Ministers were shared with the public. The Hon. Chuck Chiasson, Minister of Transportation & Infrastructure, will take the lead on the Liberal Party's commitment to improve the air in public buildings.

A screenshot of the mandate letter to the Honourable Chuck Chiasson, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. In outlines his responsibilities, including to update the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act, to require new schools, hospitals, long-term care homes, and other public buildings follow ASHRAE 241, and to add suitable air filtration and cooling units to existing infrastructure.

The Mandate Letter to Mr. Chiasson outlines his responsibilities, including:

to update the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act,
to require new schools, hospitals, long-term care homes, and other public buildings follow ASHRAE 241, and
to add suitable air filtration and cooling to existing infrastructure.

Hon. Gilles LePage, who introduced Motion 36, is now the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. He will also act as lead for the updates cited above.

The priority to ensure clean air is also in Mandate Letters to:

Hon. Dr. John Dornan, Minister of Health
Hon. Cindy Miles, Minister of Social Development
Hon. Claire Johnson, Minister of Education & Early Childhood Development

In June 2023, Motion 36 passed unanimously in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick. We celebrated a little that day.

Many of you celebrated with us, and with good reason. New Brunswick was setting an example for the world.

Motion 36 sought to urge the government to revise New Brunswick’s air quality laws through a strengthened Clean Air Act and modernized regulations, and specifically mentioned reducing airborne illnesses.

Content of Motion 36: Motion 36 by Mr. LePage, seconded by Ms. Landry to propose the following resolution on Thursday, April 6, 2023: WHEREAS the COVID-19 pandemic brought home the reality that if we do not improve air quality systems in government buildings like schools, hospitals, and institutions, we increase the risk of the spread of airborne illnesses; WHEREAS air quality in these buildings must be improved for the safety and well-being of patients, healthcare workers, students, educators, employees, and all who enter these buildings; WHEREAS, while other Maritime Provinces like PEI and Nova Scotia are making strategic investments in systems that improve air quality and ventilation through programs like the federal COVID-19 resilience fund, New Brunswick has not yet made these investments a priority; WHEREAS there are many regions of the province where air quality is diminished due to airborne pollutants, airborne contaminants, and other harmful agents; WHEREAS reducing pollutants and improving air quality and thus improving community and environmental health should be a priority of government; BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Legislative Assembly urge the government to modernize New Brunswick’s air quality laws and standards with a goal of bringing forward a strengthened Clean Air Act and modernized regulations; BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Assembly urge the government to bring forward a plan to monitor, report, and improve air quality systems in public buildings like hospitals, schools, and government buildings to mitigate the risks associated with the transfer of airborne illnesses, airborne contaminants, and other harmful agents.

In May, Blaine Higgs’ Progressive Conservative government decided against taking action on Motion 36, saying protections already exist.

The protections were based on standards from 2010 and were altered if schools could not meet them.

The protections did not consider the existence of children in schools.

Today, the world is again looking to New Brunswick.

We've come a long way, and we can breathe a little easier tonight.

Tomorrow, we keep working.

Thanks to folks in NB like PoPNB, NB Lung, New Brunswick Teachers Association; and to those beyond our borders like Colin Furness, Canadian Covid Society, and The World Health Network.

Copies of all Mandate Letters can be accessed here.

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