New Westminster Real-Time AQI Tracker
What's Actually In New Westminster Air Today?
What High AQI Means for Your Lungs in New Westminster
How to Read AQI
The Air Quality Index (AQI) measures how polluted the air is and how it may affect your health.
0–50 (Good): Air quality is satisfactory.
51–100 (Moderate): Acceptable, but some pollutants may pose minor concerns.
101–150 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups)
151–200 (Unhealthy)
201–300 (Very Unhealthy)
301+ (Hazardous)
Moderate
Still okay for most, but if you have asthma or allergies, take it easy and avoid long outdoor workouts.
Shop MERV 11 filters→What's the Right Filter for Your AQI Level?
Live Air Quality Index AQI Map New Westminster, BC Today
New Westminster's air quality changes by the hour, so the live map above is the fastest way to answer "is it bad out today?" Most days, New West sits in the low-risk range on Canada's Air Quality Health Index (AQHI). Readings climb during summer wildfire smoke and on hot, smoggy afternoons.
At Filterbuy, we manufacture furnace and HVAC filters, so we read an air quality map with one extra question: how much of that air ends up inside your home?
TL;DR
New Westminster's official live readings come from Metro Vancouver's Sapperton Park station and use Canada's 1 to 10+ AQHI. The air is usually clean, but smoke pushed it to high risk in August 2026. On a smoky day, follow Metro Vancouver's warnings, run a MERV 13 filter with the furnace fan on, and stay cool first if it's hot.
Key Takeaways
• New Westminster's one reference station sits in Sapperton Park and has supplied official readings since 2016.
• In 2025, New West averaged 5.9 µg/m³ of PM2.5 (fine particles from smoke and traffic), the highest Metro Vancouver station reported but below B.C.'s 8 µg/m³ objective.
• Metro Vancouver's smoke warnings advise MERV 13 or higher filters.
• Filterbuy's action line is a U.S. AQI of 100: MERV 13, fan on, a portable HEPA air cleaner in each occupied room, and a closed-up home.
Is the Air Quality Bad in New Westminster Today?
The quickest way to know whether New Westminster's air quality is bad today is to check a live source. The live map above updates hourly. For the official number, check the New Westminster station on Metro Vancouver's AirMap, or the two-day AQHI forecast for Metro Vancouver Northwest from Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Quick rule: AQHI 1 to 3, carry on. At 4 or higher, sensitive people take care. Under a yellow or orange warning, everyone limits time outdoors.
Where New Westminster's Live Readings Come From
New Westminster's official air quality readings come from a Metro Vancouver monitoring station in Sapperton Park. Metro Vancouver added it in 2016 to measure PM2.5, ozone and nitrogen oxides, the AQHI inputs.
Truck routes and rail lines run along the Fraser River waterfront, so traffic shapes everyday air here more than in many suburbs.
AQHI vs AQI: Why Your App Shows a Different Number
Canada's Air Quality Health Index runs from 1 to 10+ and estimates the combined health risk of fine particles plus two gases, ozone and nitrogen dioxide. During smoke, it's calculated from PM2.5 alone. The U.S. AQI in many apps runs from 0 to 500 and tracks the worst single pollutant.
| Feature | AQHI (Canada) | AQI (United States) |
|---|---|---|
| Scale | 1 to 10+ | 0 to 500 |
| What it describes | Combined health risk | Worst single pollutant |
| Pollutants used | PM2.5, ozone, NO2 | PM2.5, PM10, ozone, NO2, SO2, CO |
| Where New West sees it | Metro Vancouver AirMap, Environment Canada | IQAir, AQICN, weather apps |
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada, About the AQHI; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
At 8:21 am on 5 August 2026, with a yellow warning in effect, the aqi.in dashboard showed New West at a U.S. AQI of 120. That sits in the EPA's Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (orange) range.
One scale said ‘Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups’ and the other said ‘high health risk.’ Neither was wrong. For New West, I check the Canadian number first, then use an app for block-by-block detail.
Michelle Wan, Brand Manager and Air Quality Writer, Filterbuy
Filterbuy's Action Line: What to Do at AQI 100 or Higher
When your app shows a U.S. AQI of 100 or higher, Filterbuy recommends acting. Start with official guidance: check Metro Vancouver's warnings and follow them. Then take these four steps, in this order:
1. Put a MERV 13 filter in your furnace or HVAC. It's the tier Filterbuy recommends for smoke, and it filters air for the whole home.
2. Switch the thermostat fan from AUTO to ON. AUTO only filters while the system heats or cools.
3. Run a portable HEPA air cleaner in each occupied room, bedrooms first. It treats that room harder than the central system can.
4. Close up the home. Shut windows and doors, and skip candles, frying, vacuuming and smoking while smoke is in.
At 151 and up, inspect the filter more often and keep spares. At 201 and up, local guidance leads and filtration is one layer. AQI 100 sits at the top of the Moderate range. It's where Filterbuy tells customers to move.
What Each AQHI Level Means in New Westminster
Environment and Climate Change Canada advises at-risk people to act one band earlier: children, older adults, pregnant people, outdoor workers and anyone with a heart or lung condition. With a health condition, follow your care provider's advice.
• AQHI 1 to 3 (low risk): enjoy usual activities.
• AQHI 4 to 6 (moderate risk): at-risk people ease off if symptoms appear. Fit a MERV 13 and stock a spare.
• AQHI 7 to 10 (high risk): at-risk people cut strenuous outdoor activity; others do if symptoms appear. Use the action-line steps.
• AQHI above 10 (very high risk): everyone cuts strenuous outdoor activity; at-risk people avoid it. Follow the warning first, and wear a fitted N95 outdoors.
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada AQHI health messages; N95 advice follows the U.S. EPA.
New Westminster's Air in Numbers: 2025 Station Data
Filterbuy built this comparison in-house. We pulled 2025 annual figures for New West and four nearby stations from the BC Lung Foundation's State of the Air 2026 technical appendix.
| Station (2025) | Avg. PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Highest 24-hr PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Days above 25 µg/m³ | Avg. NO2 (ppb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Westminster | 5.9 | 37.3 | 1 | 13.8 |
| Vancouver (Clark Drive) | 5.7 | 47.9 | 1 | 14.5 |
| Burnaby South | 4.8 | 29.0 | 1 | 10.5 |
| Port Moody | 4.8 | 41.0 | 1 | 10.7 |
| Richmond (Airport) | 4.8 | 21.0 | 0 | 11.4 |
Source: BC Lung Foundation, State of the Air 2026 Technical Appendix (data from the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Parks and Metro Vancouver). Values are not adjusted for wildfire smoke.
• Highest PM2.5 average in Metro Vancouver, yet below B.C.'s 8 µg/m³ objective and its 6 µg/m³ planning goal.
• Third-highest NO2 in B.C. at 13.8 ppb, below the 17 ppb objective.
• One day topped B.C.'s 24-hour objective of 25 µg/m³, likely during smoke.
• Spikes hide in averages. Half of 2025 hours sat at or below 4.7 µg/m³; the worst hour hit 131.3 µg/m³.
• Less smog than eastern suburbs. New West's ozone metric was 45 ppb, versus 57 in Maple Ridge and 61 in Mission.
Filterbuy's read: smoke drives the worst days, but traffic sets the everyday baseline. So we treat a quality filter as a year-round habit here.
When Is Air Quality Worst in New Westminster?
New Westminster's air is usually worst in summer, when wildfire smoke drifts into the Lower Fraser Valley. In 2026, yellow warnings covered New West on 22 July and again in early August, driven by B.C. Interior wildfires.
Filterbuy's New West filter calendar:
1. Late June: fit a MERV 13 before smoke season (usually June to September) and keep a spare.
2. July to September: check the filter during smoke; replace it when it looks dark brown or black, which can be well before the normal interval (U.S. EPA).
3. October: start furnace season with a fresh filter.
4. November to May: change filters every 60 to 90 days; traffic keeps the baseline steady.
The New West Smoke-and-Heat Dilemma
When wildfire smoke and heat arrive together, Metro Vancouver's 2026 smoke warnings put staying cool first. The City of New Westminster reports that 33 residents died during the 2021 heat dome.
That history shaped local rules. As of 8 June 2026, landlords must keep at least one living space in each rental unit at or below an average of 26°C between 8:00 pm and 8:00 am, from 1 April to 31 October.
Cool one room first, then filter it with the action-line steps. If your home can't stay both cool and filtered, spend a few hours at a library, community centre or mall.
No central system? In apartments and homes with window units, a portable HEPA air cleaner becomes the main defence. Filterbuy's comparison of MERV 13 vs. HEPA for wildfire smoke explains how the two layers differ.
Too hot at night in a rental? Talk to your landlord first. If that fails, call New Westminster Bylaw Services at 604-527-4657. Fines run $200 to $750 and can be issued daily.
Getting the Most From Your Filters and Air Cleaners
• Size the air cleaner. EPA guidance: choose a unit whose smoke CADR is at least two-thirds of the room's floor area in square feet. A 28 m² (300 sq ft) bedroom needs a smoke CADR of about 200. Source: U.S. EPA
• Skip ozone. The EPA advises against air cleaners that produce ozone, so this page doesn't recommend ionizers or ozone generators.
• A DIY box fan can bridge the gap. EPA research found box fans fitted with MERV 13 filters reduce smoke. Use a certified 2012-or-newer fan, never unattended, as a stopgap until you get a certified cleaner. Source: U.S. EPA
• Odour is a separate problem. Pleated filters capture particles; smoke odour is a gas. For lingering smell, see Filterbuy's Odour Eliminator line.
Filterbuy factory note: we rate our MERV 13 filters for a 90-day service life under normal household dust. Smoke loads it much faster, so inspect it instead. Our guide to the best MERV filter for wildfire smoke covers the seasonal swap.
Fit check: most furnaces and HVAC systems can take a MERV 13 without equipment problems, provided you replace it often, according to the U.S. EPA. Confirm your size, then shop MERV 13 air filters in your size; all 600+ sizes ship free to Canada. Our guide to MERV ratings explains each tier.
When to Get Medical Help
A filter reduces what's in the air. It doesn't treat symptoms. For worsening symptoms, call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, and see the BC Centre for Disease Control's wildfire smoke guidance. For chest pain or difficulty breathing, call 9-1-1.
Supporting Statistics
1. 45 million+ people live within 90 metres (300 ft.) of busy roads.
◦ New West link: higher NO2 along truck and rail corridors.
◦ Source: U.S. EPA, Near Roadway Air Pollution (updated June 2026)
2. Closed windows still leave 55% to 60% of outdoor PM2.5 indoors.
◦ Range: 30% to 100% across homes during smoke, with no air cleaner running.
◦ New West link: why the action line adds filtration to closing up.
◦ Source: U.S. EPA, Strategies to Reduce Exposure Indoors (updated September 2026)
3. 43 million people hit by smoke and ozone in one day.
◦ Reach: over 68% of the western U.S. in the 2020 wildfire season.
◦ New West link: the 22 July 2026 warning flagged both.
◦ Source: Federation of American Scientists (January 2025)
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Air Quality in New Westminster Today?
Today's New Westminster reading is on the live map on this page and on Metro Vancouver's AirMap, which shows the Sapperton Park station's hourly AQHI.
What MERV Rating Do I Need for Wildfire Smoke in New Westminster?
MERV 13. It's the tier Filterbuy recommends for smoke, and Metro Vancouver's smoke warnings advise MERV 13 or higher for homes with built-in ventilation.
What Is the PM2.5 Level in New Westminster Today?
The Sapperton Park station's hourly readings include PM2.5. B.C.'s 24-hour objective is 25 µg/m³, and New West averaged 5.9 µg/m³ across 2025.
Is There an Air Quality Warning for New Westminster Right Now?
Metro Vancouver places New Westminster in its Northwest warning zone. Yellow means high health risk; orange means very high. You can sign up for Metro Vancouver air quality warnings by email.
Glossary
Air Quality Health Index (AQHI): Canada's official 1 to 10+ health-risk scale for outdoor air.
Air Quality Index (AQI): The U.S. 0 to 500 scale used by global apps.
PM2.5: Fine particles 2.5 micrometres or smaller; the main concern in smoke.
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide): A traffic-related gas; one of the AQHI pollutants.
MERV: Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, a filter efficiency scale. Filterbuy's range runs from MERV 8 to MERV 13.
HEPA: High Efficiency Particulate Air, the portable air cleaner standard.
CADR: Clean Air Delivery Rate, how much filtered air a portable cleaner delivers.
Our Take: Indoor Air in New West
Our view at Filterbuy: New West\'s outdoor air is mostly good, and the indoor air is the part you can manage. Subscribe & Save keeps a spare filter arriving on your schedule; edit, skip, or cancel anytime. Nearby: our live air quality map for Vancouver, BC and live air quality map for Canada.