Air quality

Air quality is a major public health issue, which is why the Ville de Saint-Lambert is taking various measures to address it.

Greenhouse gases

Recognizing that municipalities play an important role in the fight against climate change, the Ville de Saint-Lambert published an updated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory in 2023.

Carried out by the Conseil régional de l’environnement de la Montérégie (CRE Montérégie), the inventory provides an accurate and current picture of our emissions to guide our future actions. It is the result of several months’ work and a rigorous analysis of the emissions generated by both municipal and community activities.

Concerned about environmental issues, the City joined the Partners for Climate Protection (PCP), national network of 400+ municipalities, committing to a five-step process to be completed within 10 years. The first task was to complete an up-to-date GHG inventory.

The inventory will be accompanied by a climate action plan comprising a series of measures to manage and minimize GHG emissions at their source. The long-term goal is to reduce our emissions by 35% by 2035.

  • When GHG emissions from municipal operations are added to those of the community, the impact for the municipality is approximately 71,700 tonnes of CO2e.
  • To offset these GHG emissions on the territory, we would have to plant trees over an area equivalent to six times the size of the city.
  • GHG emissions from community activities are responsible for 69,290 tonnes of CO2e, or 97% of Saint-Lambert’s total inventory.
  • Road transport accounts for the largest share of GHG emissions in Saint-Lambert, and the residents’ vehicle fleet accounts for the majority of emissions in this category.
  • Residents’ mobility accounts for the bulk of GHG emissions (66%) in the community’s inventory.
  • The two energy sources that generate the most GHG emissions in the community are motor vehicle fuels and natural gas.
Consult the complete inventory

Wood-burning fireplaces

This by-law prohibits the use of wood-burning fireplaces when a smog warning is in effect. Smog days are determined using the Air Quality Index (AQI). When the AQI is greater than 50, wood-burning fireplaces can't be used.

The City will announce when a ban is in effect through its various communication channels. The ban applies until the warning is lifted.

Consult the by-law (in French)

Radon

Radon is an odourless gas that is produced by the breakdown of uranium in the Earth's crust. It emanates from the ground and diffuses into the air. Radon enters our lungs with the air we breathe, however it is greatly diluted resulting in concentrations too low to be of concern. But when radon seeps into a house, it tends to accumulate in the lower levels of the home, especially in winter because windows are closed.

A recent study conducted by Health Canada in 15,000 homes across the country shows that one in ten houses in Quebec had a radon problem, meaning the radon concentration exceeded 200 becquerels per cubic metre.

Long-term exposure to radon is a risk factor for lung cancer. In Quebec, this risk factor is second only to smoking tobacco. As a preventive measure, it is recommended to have your home tested. If a high level of radon is detected, there are certain measures that can be taken to correct the situation. We invite you to consult the information prepared by the Société d'habitation du Québec with regard to what needs to be done.

You can also visit the Government of Québec’s health portal to learn more about residential radon.

The Ville de Saint-Lambert is selling radon detectors at a cost of $40.

We invite you to contact the Environment Management Division at 450-466-3199 or environnement@saint-lambert.ca for more information.

You can visit the website of the Association pulmonaire du Québec. You will find a lot of information on this gas and its effects.

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