Would the line of greasy grills stretch from Toronto to Hamilton? Perhaps to Sudbury? Maybe all the way to Thunder Bay?

The truth is, no one has figured out an answer to that question. The best they can say is: "An awful lot." But that doesn't stop Ontario's environment ministry, and many other government agencies across North America, from advising people not to barbecue on bad-air days.

So Environment Minister Jim Wilson was simply expressing common wisdom when he advised Tuesday that Ontario residents could contribute to the battle against health-damaging particles and ozone by doing without charred steaks and burgers for a few days.

"Clearly anything they (the public) can do to cut down their use of equipment or barbecues that produce smog" would help, he said.

Unfortunately, common wisdom in this case isn't an exact match with common sense. And Wilson appeared to fly off the rails when he suggested coal-fired stations are only a "small part" of the pollution problem.

"To suggest that power plants are not a major contributor is hard to believe," says Monica Campbell, manager of Toronto's office of environmental protection.

Each year, according to the environment ministry, those five stations spew out 14 per cent of the province's nitrogen oxides emissions and 23 per cent of the sulphur dioxide. Both are key components of smog. Source.

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