CRAZ 2025: A Year of Progress in Air Quality Monitoring

The Calgary Region Airshed Zone (CRAZ) is a collaborative, non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and improving air quality across the Calgary region. Through a network of monitoring stations and strong partnerships, CRAZ collects, analyzes, and shares trusted air quality information that helps communities, decision-makers, and stakeholders understand local conditions. Their work supports better health choices, stronger environmental stewardship, and evidence-based planning. In 2025, CRAZ advanced key initiatives—from portable monitoring expansion to strategic planning—while continuing to deliver transparent, scientifically credible reporting. This year’s annual report highlights how steady, practical progress can strengthen a region’s resilience in the face of evolving air quality challenges.

About CRAZ

Vision — CRAZ envisions air quality in the region that helps support, balance, and foster a healthy and vibrant population, ecosystem, and economy. Mission — the organization works to monitor, analyze, and report on air quality data while developing strategies and delivering programs and services that positively impact regional air quality. This mission is grounded in providing information that is independent, scientifically credible, and useful to the communities CRAZ serves. Guiding Principles such as consensus help CRAZ advance shared goals through collaborative governance, while transparency ensures decisions and communications are open and clear to members and partners. CRAZ also stays agile as priorities and conditions change, acting as a connected partner across government, industry, technical experts, educators, and the public. Together, these principles reinforce CRAZ’s role as a trusted source of defensible air quality information for the Calgary region.

Leadership Perspective

In his message, Shane Adam, Board Chair, reflects on the privilege of serving alongside a committed community of experts, partners, and stakeholders focused on protecting regional air quality. He emphasizes his extensive background in environment, health, and safety management, including ambient monitoring, emissions monitoring, and regulatory compliance, which shapes his leadership approach. A consistent theme is the importance of credible data, regulatory integrity, and practical collaboration as the foundation of effective air-quality management. He highlights CRAZ’s collaborative model—bringing together industry, municipalities, government, environmental organizations, and citizens—to support balanced, informed decision-making. The message also recognizes 2025 as a year of active progress, including strengthening monitoring capacity and deepening engagement across the airshed. He notes that CRAZ’s ability to respond to emerging challenges—such as wildfire smoke and rapid regional growth—depends on strong partnerships and transparent reporting. Looking ahead, the Chair reinforces CRAZ’s commitment to continuous improvement and to remaining a trusted, science-based voice for air quality in the Calgary region.

2025 Highlights

Financial Sustainability

CRAZ maintained a strong focus on responsible financial stewardship through regular oversight by the Treasurer and Finance Committee, including monthly cash-flow review and reporting to the Board. In 2025, CRAZ reported $715,894 in total revenue and $669,015 in total expenses, resulting in an excess of revenue over expenses for the year. This positive position supports continued investment in programs and services while strengthening organizational reserves for long-term stability. CRAZ also benefited from significant volunteer support, reporting $116,325 in in-kind contributions from 1,036 volunteer hours—an important reflection of community commitment to clean air. With funding agreements and operating support secured for the coming year, CRAZ is positioned to plan effectively and operate within its means.

Connecting with Communities

Community presence remained a priority in 2025, as CRAZ’s engagement efforts helped translate air quality data into practical awareness and action. The organization participated in a range of guest speaker opportunities and local events, including the Friends of Fish Creek Park Speaker Series, the Cochrane Environmental Action Committee Living Sustainability Series, and the CPANS Luncheon. CRAZ also supported education through classroom visits and hosted learning-focused tours, helping students and partners better understand how monitoring stations operate and why air quality data matters. Outreach activities included booths and conversations at public festivals and fairs such as the Calgary Folk Festival, Taste of Okotoks, and the Calgary Mayor’s Environment Expo, supported by dedicated volunteers. A focused volunteer and membership recruitment drive—through events like the Calgary Volunteer Fair and campus outreach—helped build momentum heading into 2026. Looking forward, CRAZ plans to deepen its impact through upcoming partnerships with the City of Calgary to host air quality and health workshops, including sessions on low-cost sensors and community learning.

Advancing Air Quality Through Collaboration

CRAZ’s progress in 2025 was supported by committee leadership and volunteer expertise across several key areas of work. The Air Quality Management Plan Committee revised and updated the regional plan, ensuring objectives and performance indicators remain relevant, and completed a comparative study on the health impacts of air pollution to strengthen community messaging. The Policy & Research Committee advanced policy-focused work by contributing to the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan review process and tracking regional policy developments that affect air quality planning. This committee also began updating the Air Quality Municipal Toolkit, with plans to gather follow-up input from municipalities on how the toolkit is being used and where additional resources may be needed. The Smoke Working Group continued to support seasonal readiness by reviewing and updating wildfire smoke health resources and sharing knowledge on risk reduction, emergency management, and smoke-related best practices. Underpinning the monitoring program’s integrity, the Technical Committee played an essential role in supporting scientific rigor—helping ensure ongoing QA/QC practices, data review, and operational responsiveness. Together, these committees illustrate how CRAZ’s collaborative structure turns shared expertise into practical outcomes for communities across the region.

The Road Ahead

Looking ahead, CRAZ is focused on continuing to invest in technology and monitoring approaches that strengthen data quality, access, and regional insight. The organization will also keep deepening partnerships with municipalities, provincial partners, industries, and community organizations to respond effectively to changing conditions and emerging air quality challenges. Advancing public awareness remains central—because transparent reporting and practical education help people make informed health decisions and support better local planning. Above all, CRAZ aims to remain a trusted, science-based voice for air quality in the Calgary region, grounded in collaboration and continuous improvement. As the region grows and environmental pressures evolve, protecting clean air will remain a shared responsibility—and a critical foundation for healthy communities now and in the future.