14 of the 15 worst cities for air pollution in U.S. and Canada were north of the border last year: report

Air quality in Canada is now worse than in the U.S., according to the 6th Annual World Air Quality Report. Of the 15 most polluted cities in the two countries, 14 were in Canada.

Thanks to wildfires, air quality in Canada is now worse than in the U.S., according to a new report.

Published Tuesday, the 6th Annual World Air Quality Report found that air quality in Canada in 2023 was worse than in the U.S. for the first time in the report's history.

Of the 15 most polluted cities in the two countries, 14 were in Canada, led by Fort McMurray and Peace River in Alberta. Others included Yellowknife, Edmonton, Saskatoon and Canmore, Alta.

"In 2023, air quality in Northern America was significantly influenced by extensive Canadian wildfires that raged from May to October, burning an area roughly half the size of Germany," the report explained. "Consequently, 2023 marked the first instance in this report’s history where Canada surpassed the United States in regional pollution rankings."

The report also found that only seven countries met World Health Organization air quality guidelines: Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and New Zealand.

Overall, Canada ranked 93 out of 134 countries studied in the report while the top three spots were held by Bangladesh, Pakistan and India. All but one of the 100 cities with the world's worst air pollution were in Asia, with 83 of them in India.

The study specifically looked at fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, which are tiny but dangerous air particles that can include emissions from gasoline, oil, diesel fuel and burning wood. When inhaled, PM2.5 can travel deep into the lungs and has been linked to asthma, cancer, lung disease and other respiratory illnesses.