Montreal homes greenest, Edmonton ranks lowest

Homeowners in Edmonton generate, on average, almost four times the amount of greenhouse gas emissions as their counterparts in Montreal, according to a study released Wednesday by the University of British Columbia. The study from the university’s faculty of land and food systems estimated average household emissions in major cities across Canada between 1997 and 2009. Montreal homes were ranked the greenest — at 5.4 tonnes per year — largely because of the widespread use of clean hydroelectric power. The city’s dense population also means motorists spend less time commuting and guzzling gas. Edmonton, followed closely by Calgary, was at the bottom of the pile at 20.7 tonnes per year, partly because of the use of coal-fired home energy and a spread-out population. The colder weather in the two biggest Alberta cities also means more energy is needed to heat homes.