Pilot Project Spotlight: Daily Pollen Level Variations in Montreal, Canada

Principle Investigator: Dr. Scott Weichenthal, McGill University

As the CAFE 2024 Pilot Program passes the one-year mark, we’re thrilled to take a moment to spotlight the great work coming out of this initiative. This blog series will offer pilot awardees the opportunity to share their research with the CAFE community, highlighting what they’ve been working on, and what they’ve accomplished since receiving funding. Our first pilot highlight is Dr. Scott Weichenthal’s research, which aimed to examine daily pollen levels in Montreal, Canada.

What problem is this project trying to solve? 

Pollen seasons are becoming longer and more intense, worsening symptoms for people with asthma, COPD, and other respiratory issues. Emerging evidence, including some of Dr. Weichenthal’s previous work, also links higher daily pollen levels to an increased risk of heart attacks. 

Being able to predict when and where pollen levels will be highest can help people and health systems better prepare, reduce exposure, and prevent serious health problems. However, because there’s limited infrastructure to collect detailed pollen data within cities and over time, we don’t yet have a complete picture of how everyday urban pollen exposure affects the risk of cardiovascular disease. 

How does this project address the problem? 

This pilot study collected data across Montreal, Canada, to build a model that can predict how daily pollen concentrations change daily throughout different parts of the city.

The team generated 200 random sampling locations across Montreal. Students visited these sites daily to collect samples, which were then shipped to the laboratory for analysis. Results indicated that approximately 100 distinct types of pollen spores were identified at each site. Once fully analyzed, this data will form a comprehensive database capable of predicting how pollen and spore concentrations vary within Montreal daily throughout the pollen season.

Where does the project stand now? 

The team has completed data collection for the pilot study and has begun conducting descriptive analyses and developing preliminary models. Notably, due to the acquisition of additional funding, the team will integrate the pilot data into a larger dataset as part of the expanded study.

What’s the future of this research? 

The research team conducted the CAFE-funded pilot in Montreal, and was able to use the resulting data to secure a larger grant. The team is now planning to implement this expanded project across Toronto and Ottawa, using the same approach, with the goal of creating a more comprehensive exposure database. Research teams in all three cities will deploy students to conduct daily sampling throughout each city.

How did CAFE pilot funding help this project?

“The CAFE pilot funding was instrumental in launching this project,” said Dr. Weichenthal. “It allowed me to bring together a small team to conduct field work, and it supported an extended data-collection period. Having that initial data strengthened our subsequent grant application.”

As this work expands to Toronto and Ottawa, the project demonstrates how targeted pilot funding can catalyze larger research efforts. Through CAFEs funding this research was able to lay the groundwork for a larger project that will now generate comprehensive data that can inform and help create a healthier urban environment.