On July 8th, 2025, BC Lung Foundation visited Dawson Creek, BC, bringing air quality monitors to local households through Carter’s Project, an initiative in honour of Carter Vigh, which funds the free distribution of air quality monitors throughout British Columbia.
In the summer of 2023, in 100 Mile House, BC, 9-year-old Carter Vigh sadly passed away due to an asthma attack exacerbated by poor air quality. The nearest air quality monitoring station was 100km away; the skies were clear, but the air over 100 Mile was, invisibly, very poor. Local, real-time air quality monitoring would likely have saved his life. Last year, BC Lung launched Carter’s Project in 100 Mile House bringing 100 monitors to support Carter’s hometown. The City of Dawson Creek was also identified as a community lacking a public outdoor air quality monitor and a high-risk area for wildfire smoke events. Dawson Creek is the second community to be supported by this initiative.
During the day of July 8th, BC Lung installed two outdoor air quality monitors, one at the Dawson Creek Society for Community Living’s Assisted Living facility, and another at Dawson Creek City Hall. These outdoor monitors are already active and real-time air quality data is available on purpleair.com. Two more outdoor monitors will be installed in the coming weeks.
In the evening, BC Lung in collaboration with the Simon Fraser University BREATHE project and TB Vets, hosted a town hall meeting at Co-op Mercer Hall where over 70 indoor air quality monitors were distributed to local families to provide real-time data on the air quality inside their homes. As a part of the town hall meeting, BC Lung gave a presentation on wildfire smoke, how best to protect your lungs, and how to use the air quality monitors. Attendees also participated in a DIY air cleaner workshop led by the BREATHE team which provided all the materials for families to make their very own air cleaners. Over 50 air cleaners were constructed, with families taking them home with them in addition to their new air quality monitors.
Through Carter’s Project, residents of Dawson Creek will now have access to accurate, real-time air quality data. Monitors will provide potentially life-saving information, especially for those who suffer from lung disease and are particularly vulnerable to poor air quality.
BC Lung hopes to bring Carter’s Project to other communities in need across BC. The next community BC Lung will be visiting for Carter’s Project is Gold River, BC in September 2025.
To learn more about Carter’s Project, to donate, or to apply for Carter’s Project on behalf of your community, please visit: bclung.ca/cartersproject.
