The importance of good indoor air quality

Tom Rand Around the Home WALKER CLIMATE CARE

Indoor air quality, or IAQ, is something that many of us didn’t think about seriously until the Coronavirus pandemic made headlines and changed our lives in the late winter of 2020. Since then, there’s been a more pronounced interest in IAQ as the world realizes how this plays an important component of our health and wellbeing. In residential spaces there are plethora of products available to help you improve your home’s air quality. The issues these address can broadly be categorized into bioaerosols (like mildew, mold, bacteria and viruses), volatile organic compounds (like odors and gases from chemicals and pets) and particulate, which is what we’ll focus on.

Particulate is solid matter and includes things like dust and pollen. In addition to improving the health and comfort of the occupants, the reduction of particulate in the home also improves the efficiency and can prolong the life of your mechanical equipment. Allowing your furnace filter get too dirty will force the motor to work harder by drawing more energy to get the airflow it requires to operate. The simplest and least expensive way you can help regulate your home’s indoor air quality for particulate is to check the furnace filter regularly. Choosing higher quality filters with a Minimum Efficiency Rating Value or MERV rating of 11 or higher is recommended. The most effective way to combat particulate is to install a centralized High Efficiency Particulate Air filter. HEPA systems are also available as standalone units if you’re in a living space without ductwork.

In centrally ducted homes, one of the most overlooked areas of improvement is the ductwork itself. Many of us never think to have our ducts cleaned, and yet we aren’t happy about the accumulation of dust in our homes or notice a dirty register and clean it – but we haven’t addressed the root cause. Proper duct cleaning will help ensure your family is breathing air that’s cleaner, and will benefit your home’s tidiness and your mechanical system’s efficiency. If you don’t know when the last time your home’s ducts have been cleaned, now’s the time to add it to your spring cleaning list!

“The Eastern Ontario Health Unit is supportive of the Living Wage Initiative; an important initiative that allows people to be active participants of the social, civic, and cultural aspects of their communities. We understand how a living wage positively influences the health of not only the individual but of their families, our communities, and our businesses,” said Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer, Eastern Ontario Health Unit.

The United Way Centraide SDG is asking local businesses and organizations to consider the benefits of paying a living wage. While improving the quality of life of their employees, there are also long-term benefits to implementing a living wage strategy as an employer such as a decrease in employee turnover, a reduction in new hiring and training costs, and an increase in employee productivity, morale and loyalty.

The OLWN certifies living wage employers and offers them tools to boost recruitment and marketing strategies by publicly recognizing the critical investment required to pay all direct and indirect employers the living wage rate for the region(s) in which they operate.

There are over 500 certified living wage employers in Ontario; however, none are currently certified in Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry, Cornwall and Akwesasne.

Learn more about the 2022-23 Living Wage in SDGCA: unitedwaysdg.com/ living-wage-in-stormont-dundas-glengarry-cornwall-akwesasne/

How to become a certified living wage employer: www.ontariolivingwage.ca/certify

Tender awarded for Cornwall Arts & Culture Centre

KRYSTINE THERRIAULT ktherriault@seawaynews.media

Things are finally coming together for the Cornwall Arts & Culture Centre. At the Monday, February 27th meeting of City Council, the tender for the construction of the Arts & Culture Centre was awarded to 152610 Canada Incorporated operating as Laurin & Company, from Nepean, Ontario, at the total bid price of $10,389,999.70, following a live- ly discussion amongst council members. There was a large presence from the art community in the audience that evening who were anxious to see this tender approved. Councilors Elaine MacDonald and Syd Gardiner voiced their support for the project and stressed that the time to move forward is now. Councilor Dean Hollingsworth voiced concerns about the project going over the $10M budget.

A motion from Councilor Sarah Good to defer approving the tender to consider moving the project to the Portlands in partnership with our neighbours in Akwesasne opened a lively debate. Ultimately, it was decided that it wasn’t fair to everyone who contributed to the $1.3M in donations already raised for the art centre concept as is to change the location last-minute. It was also suggested that more donations in the pipeline would be jeopardized if this change was to pass.

“I have so many reasons why I disagree with the motion to defer and the first one is the time that is involved. Let me simply say this: time is money. At one time, the project to renovate the Bank of Montreal was $6 million dollars… now we’re at 10 [million],” said Councilor MacDonald.

The tender was passed with all in favor except for Councilor Hollingsworth.

REPORTER: Krystine Therriault ktherriault@seawaynews.media

SALES COORDINATOR: Jennifer Mayer jmayer@seawaynews.media

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