In 2008, 21,000 Canadians will die from the effects of air pollution.

The CMA report "No Breathing Room: National Illness Costs of Air Pollution" suggests in just over two decades, 700,000 Canadians will die prematurely due to air pollution. Calculated according to the expected increase in concentration of ozone and particulate matter, the annual death toll is expected to rise 83 percent to 39,000 deaths a year by 2031.

Short-term exposure to air pollution thickens the blood, and can cause heart attacks and strokes. Prolonged exposure to air pollution damages the muscle cells in the arteries of the heart, casing them to harden, said Ted Boadway, the association's technical adviser on health and the environment.

Increasing emergency and doctor's office visits are expected to strain the health system, with costs in medical expenses and lost productivity, rising to $250 billion by the year 2031 if no improvements are made.