Both Niagara school boards keeping students indoors for all activities
Published June 8, 2023 at 9:29 am
The Niagara Catholic District School Board (NCDSB) has cancelled their elementary west end track and field meet today (June 8) due to expected poor air quality in the region.
The District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) has joined the NCDSB in canceling all outdoor activities today, including recess and outdoor physical education classes, as officials continue to monitor air quality affecting by the Quebec and northern Ontario wildfires.
Usually, at this late point in the school year, there is a heavy emphasis on outdoor sports, particularly track and field.
Both boards will adjust their ventilation systems to ensure indoor air is being recycled and outdoor air is minimized.
As it was during the COVID-19 pandemic, school maintenance is ensuring that all HEPA filters are fully functional.
Yesterday, all 12 Niagara municipalities instituted open air-burn bans throughout the course of the day.
The Air Quality Health Index show below for St. Catharines shows the past couple of days. Readings of 1 to 3 are considered safe, 4 to 6 is moderate risk while 7 and above are high risk. Yesterday (June 7) at 3 pm, St. Catharines peaked at 8.
