Emissions of air pollutants in Canada
Canada: Emissions of air pollutants was 1.41 million tonnes in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
1.41 million tonnes
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
15th
of 220 countries
All-time high
3.04 million tonnes
in 1980
All-time low
380.82 tonnes
in 1750
Years of data
273
1750–2022
Emissions of air pollutants in Canada, 1750–2022
Source: Hoesly et al. (2024) – Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2022, emissions of air pollutants in Canada stood at 1.41 million tonnes.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and down 25.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, emissions of air pollutants in Canada peaked at 3.04 million tonnes in 1980 and was at its lowest, 380.82 tonnes, in 1750.
That places Canada 15th out of 220 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Emissions of air pollutants in Canada, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1750 | 380.82 tonnes | — |
| 1751 | 386.65 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1752 | 392.48 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1753 | 398.3 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1754 | 404.12 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1755 | 409.94 tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1756 | 415.75 tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1757 | 421.57 tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1758 | 427.38 tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1759 | 433.18 tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1760 | 438.99 tonnes | +1.3% |
| 1761 | 445.95 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1762 | 452.91 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1763 | 459.86 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1764 | 466.81 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1765 | 473.75 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1766 | 480.7 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1767 | 487.64 tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1768 | 494.57 tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1769 | 501.5 tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1770 | 508.43 tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1771 | 516.79 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1772 | 525.15 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1773 | 533.5 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1774 | 541.84 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1775 | 550.18 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1776 | 558.52 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1777 | 566.85 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1778 | 575.17 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1779 | 583.49 tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1780 | 591.81 tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1781 | 601.91 tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1782 | 612 tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1783 | 622.09 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1784 | 632.16 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1785 | 651.91 tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1786 | 661.97 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1787 | 672.03 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1788 | 682.08 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1789 | 692.12 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1790 | 702.16 tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1791 | 714.43 tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1792 | 726.69 tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1793 | 738.94 tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1794 | 751.18 tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1795 | 763.41 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1796 | 775.63 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1797 | 787.84 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1798 | 800.04 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1799 | 812.23 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1800 | 824.4 tonnes | +1.5% |
| 1801 | 839.71 tonnes | +1.9% |
| 1802 | 855.01 tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1803 | 870.3 tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1804 | 885.6 tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1805 | 900.88 tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1806 | 916.17 tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1807 | 931.45 tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1808 | 946.72 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1809 | 962 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1810 | 977.27 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1811 | 1,016 tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1812 | 1,056 tonnes | +3.9% |
| 1813 | 1,095 tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1814 | 1,134 tonnes | +3.6% |
| 1815 | 1,173 tonnes | +3.5% |
| 1816 | 1,212 tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1817 | 1,251 tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1818 | 1,291 tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1819 | 1,330 tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1820 | 1,369 tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1821 | 1,424 tonnes | +4.1% |
| 1822 | 1,480 tonnes | +3.9% |
| 1823 | 1,536 tonnes | +3.8% |
| 1824 | 1,591 tonnes | +3.6% |
| 1825 | 1,647 tonnes | +3.5% |
| 1826 | 1,702 tonnes | +3.4% |
| 1827 | 1,758 tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1828 | 1,813 tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1829 | 1,869 tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1830 | 1,924 tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1831 | 2,004 tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1832 | 2,084 tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1833 | 2,164 tonnes | +3.8% |
| 1834 | 2,243 tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1835 | 2,323 tonnes | +3.6% |
| 1836 | 2,403 tonnes | +3.4% |
| 1837 | 2,482 tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1838 | 2,562 tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1839 | 2,641 tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1840 | 2,720 tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1841 | 2,840 tonnes | +4.4% |
| 1842 | 2,959 tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1843 | 3,078 tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1844 | 3,197 tonnes | +3.9% |
| 1845 | 3,315 tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1846 | 3,492 tonnes | +5.3% |
| 1847 | 3,630 tonnes | +3.9% |
| 1848 | 3,768 tonnes | +3.8% |
| 1849 | 3,905 tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1850 | 4,097 tonnes | +4.9% |
| 1851 | 4,216 tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1852 | 4,383 tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1853 | 4,589 tonnes | +4.7% |
| 1854 | 4,803 tonnes | +4.7% |
| 1855 | 5,025 tonnes | +4.6% |
| 1856 | 5,277 tonnes | +5.0% |
| 1857 | 5,545 tonnes | +5.1% |
| 1858 | 5,837 tonnes | +5.3% |
| 1859 | 6,135 tonnes | +5.1% |
| 1860 | 6,464 tonnes | +5.4% |
| 1861 | 6,682 tonnes | +3.4% |
| 1862 | 7,154 tonnes | +7.1% |
| 1863 | 7,989 tonnes | +11.7% |
| 1864 | 8,500 tonnes | +6.4% |
| 1865 | 9,202 tonnes | +8.3% |
| 1866 | 10,381 tonnes | +12.8% |
| 1867 | 11,093 tonnes | +6.9% |
| 1868 | 9,880 tonnes | -10.9% |
| 1869 | 9,491 tonnes | -3.9% |
| 1870 | 11,007 tonnes | +16.0% |
| 1871 | 12,392 tonnes | +12.6% |
| 1872 | 12,905 tonnes | +4.1% |
| 1873 | 12,968 tonnes | +0.5% |
| 1874 | 11,867 tonnes | -8.5% |
| 1875 | 12,871 tonnes | +8.5% |
| 1876 | 13,667 tonnes | +6.2% |
| 1877 | 14,257 tonnes | +4.3% |
| 1878 | 14,297 tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1879 | 16,663 tonnes | +16.5% |
| 1880 | 22,701 tonnes | +36.2% |
| 1881 | 23,365 tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1882 | 26,034 tonnes | +11.4% |
| 1883 | 27,846 tonnes | +7.0% |
| 1884 | 31,053 tonnes | +11.5% |
| 1885 | 30,480 tonnes | -1.8% |
| 1886 | 33,922 tonnes | +11.3% |
| 1887 | 36,995 tonnes | +9.1% |
| 1888 | 45,751 tonnes | +23.7% |
| 1889 | 41,065 tonnes | -10.2% |
| 1890 | 44,488 tonnes | +8.3% |
| 1891 | 47,763 tonnes | +7.4% |
| 1892 | 47,553 tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1893 | 49,710 tonnes | +4.5% |
| 1894 | 48,073 tonnes | -3.3% |
| 1895 | 45,651 tonnes | -5.0% |
| 1896 | 48,473 tonnes | +6.2% |
| 1897 | 48,955 tonnes | +1.0% |
| 1898 | 51,577 tonnes | +5.4% |
| 1899 | 60,371 tonnes | +17.0% |
| 1900 | 64,724 tonnes | +7.2% |
| 1901 | 72,809 tonnes | +12.5% |
| 1902 | 77,138 tonnes | +5.9% |
| 1903 | 84,076 tonnes | +9.0% |
| 1904 | 98,808 tonnes | +17.5% |
| 1905 | 109,326 tonnes | +10.6% |
| 1906 | 113,820 tonnes | +4.1% |
| 1907 | 142,510 tonnes | +25.2% |
| 1908 | 144,727 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1909 | 134,908 tonnes | -6.8% |
| 1910 | 160,831 tonnes | +19.2% |
| 1911 | 194,150 tonnes | +20.7% |
| 1912 | 227,094 tonnes | +17.0% |
| 1913 | 273,901 tonnes | +20.6% |
| 1914 | 253,884 tonnes | -7.3% |
| 1915 | 236,236 tonnes | -7.0% |
| 1916 | 290,929 tonnes | +23.2% |
| 1917 | 328,043 tonnes | +12.8% |
| 1918 | 346,961 tonnes | +5.8% |
| 1919 | 312,047 tonnes | -10.1% |
| 1920 | 316,253 tonnes | +1.3% |
| 1921 | 312,117 tonnes | -1.3% |
| 1922 | 288,835 tonnes | -7.5% |
| 1923 | 349,174 tonnes | +20.9% |
| 1924 | 313,801 tonnes | -10.1% |
| 1925 | 305,828 tonnes | -2.5% |
| 1926 | 352,204 tonnes | +15.2% |
| 1927 | 392,607 tonnes | +11.5% |
| 1928 | 423,509 tonnes | +7.9% |
| 1929 | 472,231 tonnes | +11.5% |
| 1930 | 454,843 tonnes | -3.7% |
| 1931 | 403,002 tonnes | -11.4% |
| 1932 | 366,371 tonnes | -9.1% |
| 1933 | 373,016 tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1934 | 420,167 tonnes | +12.6% |
| 1935 | 428,451 tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1936 | 465,755 tonnes | +8.7% |
| 1937 | 509,089 tonnes | +9.3% |
| 1938 | 487,640 tonnes | -4.2% |
| 1939 | 536,534 tonnes | +10.0% |
| 1940 | 610,293 tonnes | +13.7% |
| 1941 | 668,913 tonnes | +9.6% |
| 1942 | 683,011 tonnes | +2.1% |
| 1943 | 723,623 tonnes | +5.9% |
| 1944 | 761,335 tonnes | +5.2% |
| 1945 | 719,809 tonnes | -5.5% |
| 1946 | 743,516 tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1947 | 756,781 tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1948 | 819,888 tonnes | +8.3% |
| 1949 | 789,750 tonnes | -3.7% |
| 1950 | 909,039 tonnes | +15.1% |
| 1951 | 975,017 tonnes | +7.3% |
| 1952 | 973,781 tonnes | -0.1% |
| 1953 | 999,675 tonnes | +2.7% |
| 1954 | 1.02 million tonnes | +2.5% |
| 1955 | 1.09 million tonnes | +6.4% |
| 1956 | 1.19 million tonnes | +9.4% |
| 1957 | 1.17 million tonnes | -1.9% |
| 1958 | 1.17 million tonnes | -0.1% |
| 1959 | 1.17 million tonnes | -0.2% |
| 1960 | 1.27 million tonnes | +8.9% |
| 1961 | 1.29 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1962 | 1.39 million tonnes | +7.4% |
| 1963 | 1.45 million tonnes | +4.5% |
| 1964 | 1.56 million tonnes | +7.8% |
| 1965 | 1.70 million tonnes | +9.3% |
| 1966 | 1.80 million tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1967 | 1.93 million tonnes | +7.1% |
| 1968 | 2.03 million tonnes | +5.4% |
| 1969 | 2.09 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1970 | 2.23 million tonnes | +6.5% |
| 1971 | 2.32 million tonnes | +3.8% |
| 1972 | 2.44 million tonnes | +5.6% |
| 1973 | 2.67 million tonnes | +9.0% |
| 1974 | 2.73 million tonnes | +2.4% |
| 1975 | 2.60 million tonnes | -4.6% |
| 1976 | 2.68 million tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1977 | 2.76 million tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 2.92 million tonnes | +5.8% |
| 1979 | 3.00 million tonnes | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 3.04 million tonnes | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 2.93 million tonnes | -3.5% |
| 1982 | 2.69 million tonnes | -8.2% |
| 1983 | 2.58 million tonnes | -4.0% |
| 1984 | 2.67 million tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 2.61 million tonnes | -2.4% |
| 1986 | 2.58 million tonnes | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 2.65 million tonnes | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 2.73 million tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1989 | 2.74 million tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 2.48 million tonnes | -9.5% |
| 1991 | 2.42 million tonnes | -2.6% |
| 1992 | 2.47 million tonnes | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 2.55 million tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 2.71 million tonnes | +6.5% |
| 1995 | 2.78 million tonnes | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 2.86 million tonnes | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 2.97 million tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1998 | 3.02 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 3.01 million tonnes | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 2.98 million tonnes | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 2.85 million tonnes | -4.2% |
| 2002 | 2.83 million tonnes | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 2.79 million tonnes | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 2.67 million tonnes | -4.4% |
| 2005 | 2.54 million tonnes | -4.6% |
| 2006 | 2.35 million tonnes | -7.5% |
| 2007 | 2.37 million tonnes | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 2.28 million tonnes | -3.8% |
| 2009 | 2.12 million tonnes | -6.8% |
| 2010 | 2.13 million tonnes | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 1.99 million tonnes | -6.5% |
| 2012 | 1.88 million tonnes | -5.3% |
| 2013 | 1.84 million tonnes | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 1.78 million tonnes | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 1.71 million tonnes | -4.1% |
| 2016 | 1.63 million tonnes | -4.6% |
| 2017 | 1.63 million tonnes | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 1.63 million tonnes | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 1.58 million tonnes | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 1.38 million tonnes | -12.5% |
| 2021 | 1.39 million tonnes | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 1.41 million tonnes | +0.8% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 1.41 million tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 90,409 tonnes, 15.5× the median. (78 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Emissions of air pollutants in Canada changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | +36.2% | 16,663 tonnes | 22,701 tonnes |
| 1907 | +25.2% | 113,820 tonnes | 142,510 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1750s | 407.02 tonnes | 380.82 tonnes | 433.18 tonnes | 10 |
| 1760s | 470.27 tonnes | 438.99 tonnes | 501.5 tonnes | 10 |
| 1770s | 545.99 tonnes | 508.43 tonnes | 583.49 tonnes | 10 |
| 1780s | 642.01 tonnes | 591.81 tonnes | 692.12 tonnes | 10 |
| 1790s | 757.25 tonnes | 702.16 tonnes | 812.23 tonnes | 10 |
| 1800s | 893.22 tonnes | 824.4 tonnes | 962 tonnes | 10 |
| 1810s | 1,154 tonnes | 977.27 tonnes | 1,330 tonnes | 10 |
| 1820s | 1,619 tonnes | 1,369 tonnes | 1,869 tonnes | 10 |
| 1830s | 2,283 tonnes | 1,924 tonnes | 2,641 tonnes | 10 |
| 1840s | 3,290 tonnes | 2,720 tonnes | 3,905 tonnes | 10 |
| 1850s | 4,991 tonnes | 4,097 tonnes | 6,135 tonnes | 10 |
| 1860s | 8,683 tonnes | 6,464 tonnes | 11,093 tonnes | 10 |
| 1870s | 13,289 tonnes | 11,007 tonnes | 16,663 tonnes | 10 |
| 1880s | 31,921 tonnes | 22,701 tonnes | 45,751 tonnes | 10 |
| 1890s | 49,261 tonnes | 44,488 tonnes | 60,371 tonnes | 10 |
| 1900s | 104,285 tonnes | 64,724 tonnes | 144,727 tonnes | 10 |
| 1910s | 262,408 tonnes | 160,831 tonnes | 346,961 tonnes | 10 |
| 1920s | 352,656 tonnes | 288,835 tonnes | 472,231 tonnes | 10 |
| 1930s | 444,487 tonnes | 366,371 tonnes | 536,534 tonnes | 10 |
| 1940s | 727,692 tonnes | 610,293 tonnes | 819,888 tonnes | 10 |
| 1950s | 1.07 million tonnes | 909,039 tonnes | 1.19 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.65 million tonnes | 1.27 million tonnes | 2.09 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.63 million tonnes | 2.23 million tonnes | 3.00 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.72 million tonnes | 2.58 million tonnes | 3.04 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.73 million tonnes | 2.42 million tonnes | 3.02 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.58 million tonnes | 2.12 million tonnes | 2.98 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.78 million tonnes | 1.58 million tonnes | 2.13 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.39 million tonnes | 1.38 million tonnes | 1.41 million tonnes | 3 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More environment data for Canada
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.76 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.642 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.96 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.3398 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is emissions of air pollutants in Canada?
- Emissions of air pollutants in Canada was 1.41 million tonnes in 2022, according to Hoesly et al. (2024) – Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest emissions of air pollutants recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 3.04 million tonnes in 1980.
- What is the lowest emissions of air pollutants recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 380.82 tonnes in 1750.
- How does Canada rank for emissions of air pollutants?
- Canada ranks 15th out of 220 countries with data for 2022.
- Is emissions of air pollutants rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Hoesly et al. (2024) – Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Emissions of air pollutants. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 273 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) are gases that are mainly formed during the burning of fossil fuels. Exposure to NOₓ gases can have negative impacts on respiratory health. NOₓ gases can also lead to the formation of ozone – another air pollutant.