National Pollutant Release Inventory regional overview
Explore pollution data across five regions of Canada
Map of NPRI facilities in 2019 grouped into five regions of Canada
Long Description
Map of NPRI reporting facilities in Canada separated in five regions.
You can find the data used to create this map using our single year data tables.
Summary
In 2019, the Prairie Region reported the largest quantity of releases to the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI), contributing to 45% of total Canadian pollutant releases to air, water and land. The Québec and Ontario Region also contributed significantly, reporting 34% of the pollutants released to air, water and land in 2019.
The Québec and Ontario Region reported the largest quantity of pollutant disposals and transfers to the NPRI in 2019, contributing to 42% of total Canadian disposals and transfers.
Long Description
| Region | Releases | On-site disposals | Off-site disposals and transfers |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Region |
211,587 | 214,689 |
54,032 | 480,309 |
| Québec and Ontario | 965,901 | 574,818 |
233,314 | 1,774,033 |
| Prairie Region |
1,287,836 | 284,861 | 128,719 | 1,701,417 |
| Pacific Region |
370,560 | 280,192 | 63,200 | 713,952 |
| Northern Region |
31,177 | 82,453 | 11 | 113,642 |
Atlantic region
Provinces
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Prince Edward Island
- Nova Scotia
- New Brunswick
Population
- 2.4 million people (2019) or 6% of the Canadian population
Number of Facilities
- In 2019, 223 facilities in the region reported to the NPRI.
Top Sectors and Substances
- Main sectors: Other (Except Manufacturing) sector (36 facilities or 16%), closely followed by the Electricity sector (14%) and the Other Manufacturing sector (13%).
- Top substance by quantity: Manganese and its compounds (mostly released by the Mining and Quarrying sector). In 2019, 36% of the manganese releases across Canada were from the Atlantic Region.
Long Description
| Air | Land | Water |
|---|---|---|
| 204,422 | 676 |
6,489 |
| On-site disposals |
Off-site disposals |
Off-site transfers for recycling |
Off-site transfers for treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 214,689 | 1,907 | 51,944 | 182 |
10 Year Trend
- Releases in the Atlantic Region have decreased by 21% since 2010.
- Disposals and transfers have decreased by 2% since 2010.
- The number of reporting facilities has decreased by 18% since 2010.
Long Description
| Year | Number of Facilities Reporting to the NPRI |
Releases (tonnes) |
Transfers and Disposals (tonnes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 274 | 272,555 | 273,306 |
| 2011 | 268 | 245,034 | 263,169 |
| 2012 | 253 | 243,957 | 274,521 |
| 2013 | 252 | 257,782 | 286,374 |
| 2014 | 253 | 251,073 | 230,169 |
| 2015 | 240 | 240,034 | 252,860 |
| 2016 | 235 | 252,517 | 276,846 |
| 2017 | 241 | 255,981 | 269,328 |
| 2018 | 235 | 247,109 | 236,370 |
| 2019 | 226 | 216,075 | 268,790 |
| 10 year trend (%) |
-18% | -21% |
-2% |
Québec and Ontario region
Population
- 23 million people (2019) or 60% of the Canadian population
Number of Facilities
- In 2019, 2,323 facilities in the Québec and Ontario Region reported to the NPRI.
Top Sectors and Substances
- Main sector: The Other Manufacturing sector had the most facilities in the Québec and Ontario Region in 2019 (591 facilities or 25%).
- Top substance by quantity: Carbon monoxide (mostly released by the Aluminum sector). In 2019, 54% of carbon monoxide releases across Canada were from the Québec and Ontario Region.
Long Description
| Air | Land | Water |
|---|---|---|
| 896,572 |
11,018 |
58,311 |
| On-site disposals |
Off-site disposals |
Off-site transfers for recycling |
Off-site transfers for treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 574,818 | 24,402 |
167,207 | 41,705 |
10 Year Trend
- Releases in the Québec and Ontario Region have decreased by 21% since 2010.
- Transfers and disposals have increased by 22% since 2010.
- The number of reporting facilities has decreased by 12% since 2010.
Long Description
| Year | Number of Facilities Reporting to the NPRI |
Releases (tonnes) |
Transfers and Disposals (tonnes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2,679 |
1,261,792 | 671,502 |
| 2011 | 2,580 |
1,279,789 |
891,612 |
| 2012 | 2,448 |
1,236,358 |
567,859 |
| 2013 | 2,399 |
1,233,552 | 633,165 |
| 2014 | 2,422 |
1,176,142 |
623,520 |
| 2015 | 2,413 |
1,177,712 |
629,603 |
| 2016 | 2,411 |
1,192,762 |
984,404 |
| 2017 | 2,373 |
1,134,355 |
1,744,856 |
| 2018 | 2,381 |
1,041,978 |
815,570 |
| 2019 | 2,361 |
997,248 | 817,553 |
| 10 year trend (%) |
-12% | -21% |
+22% |
Prairie region
Provinces
- Alberta
- Manitoba
- Saskatchewan
Population
- 6.9 million people (2019) or 18% of the Canadian population
Number of Facilities
- In 2019, 3,615 facilities in the Prairie Region reported to the NPRI.
Top Sectors and Substances
- Main sector: In 2019, the Conventional Oil and Gas Extraction sector had the most facilities in the Prairie Region (2,572 facilities or 71%).
- Top substance by quantity: Nitrogen oxides (mostly released by the Conventional Oil and Gas Extraction sector). In 2019, 62% of nitrogen oxide releases across Canada were from the Prairie Region.
Long Description
| Air | Land | Water |
|---|---|---|
| 1,264,352 |
4,375 |
19,110 |
| On-site disposals |
Off-site disposals |
Off-site transfers for recycling |
Off-site transfers for treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 284,861 |
72,608 |
51,666 |
4,444 |
10 Year Trend
- Releases in the Prairie Region have decreased by 18% since 2010.
- Disposals and transfers have increased by 9% since 2010.
- The number of reporting facilities has decreased by 9% since 2010.
Long Description
| Year | Number of Facilities Reporting to the NPRI |
Releases (tonnes) |
Transfers and Disposals (tonnes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 4,024 |
1,601,179 | 401,339 |
| 2011 | 4,155 |
1,449,343 |
272,307 |
| 2012 | 4,105 |
1,472,070 |
295,305 |
| 2013 | 4,011 |
1,491,911 | 282,251 |
| 2014 | 4,174 |
1,507,263 |
289,232 |
| 2015 | 3,749 |
1,462,228 |
291,177 |
| 2016 | 3,328 |
1,354,864 |
248,895 |
| 2017 | 3,352 |
1,409,263 |
282,514 |
| 2018 | 3,801 |
1,380,669 |
303,764 |
| 2019 | 3,659 |
1,306,565 |
437,655 |
| 10 year trend (%) |
-9% | -18% |
+9% |
Pacific region
Provinces
- British Columbia
Population
- 5 million people (2019) or 13% of the Canadian population
Number of Facilities
- In 2019, 660 facilities in the Pacific Region reported to the NPRI.
Top Sectors and Substances
- Main sector: In 2019, the majority of facilities in the Pacific Region were in the Conventional Oil and Gas Extraction sector (257 facilities or 39%).
- Top substance by quantity: Particulate matter (mostly released by the Mining and Quarrying sector). In 2019, 33% of particulate matter releases across Canada were from the Pacific Region.
Long Description
| Air | Land | Water |
|---|---|---|
| 364,592 |
721 |
5,247 |
| On-site disposals |
Off-site disposals |
Off-site transfers for recycling |
Off-site transfers for treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 280,192 |
7,218 |
55,182 |
800 |
10 Year Trend
- Releases in the Pacific Region have decreased by 8% since 2010.
- Disposals and transfers have decreased by 38% since 2010.
- The number of reporting facilities has decreased by 17% since 2010.
Long Description
| Year | Number of Facilities Reporting to the NPRI |
Releases (tonnes) |
Transfers and Disposals (tonnes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 797 |
422,206 |
552,511 |
| 2011 | 780 |
455,040 |
455,667 |
| 2012 | 784 |
483,766 |
403,593 |
| 2013 | 765 |
376,277 |
309,948 |
| 2014 | 773 |
428,167 |
320,097 |
| 2015 | 719 |
311,988 |
329,987 |
| 2016 | 670 |
300,611 |
333,741 |
| 2017 | 687 |
380,177 |
382,259 |
| 2018 | 701 |
392,940 |
351,051 |
| 2019 | 665 |
387,232 |
343,764 |
| 10 year trend (%) |
-17% | -8% |
-38% |
Northern region
Territories
- Yukon
- Northwest Territories
- Nunavut
Population
- 124,460 people (2019) or less than 1% of the Canadian population
Number of Facilities
- In 2019, 78 facilities in the region reported to the NPRI.
Top sectors and substances
- Main sector: In 2019, the Electricity sector had the most facilities in the Northern Region (57 facilities or 73%).
- Top substance by quantity: Manganese and its compounds (mostly released by the Mining and Quarrying sector). In 2019, 8% of manganese releases across Canada were from the Northern Region.
Long Description
| Air | Land | Water |
|---|---|---|
| 31,168 |
0 |
10 |
| On-site disposals |
Off-site disposals |
Off-site transfers for recycling |
Off-site transfers for treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 82,453 |
5 |
0 |
6 |
10 Year Trend
- Releases in the Northern Region have increased by 33% since 2010.
- Disposals and transfers have tripled since 2010.
- The number of reporting facilities has increased by 15% since 2010.
Long Description
| Year | Number of Facilities Reporting to the NPRI |
Releases (tonnes) |
Transfers and Disposals (tonnes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 68 |
23,507 |
26,668 |
| 2011 | 71 |
23,574 |
36,712 |
| 2012 | 71 |
21,287 |
53,213 |
| 2013 | 68 |
20,627 |
37,148 |
| 2014 | 80 |
22,221 |
31,269 |
| 2015 | 76 |
23,427 |
27,217 |
| 2016 | 73 |
26,633 |
24,379 |
| 2017 | 74 |
29,783 |
68,851 |
| 2018 | 78 |
25,187 |
32,730 |
| 2019 | 78 |
31,185 |
82,487 |
| 10 year trend (%) |
+15% | +33% |
+209% |
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