Final answer:
Canada's eastern regions, including Ontario and Quebec, are most severely affected by acid rain due to industrial emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides, compounded by wind patterns that transport pollution from the American Midwest. Regulations have mitigated the effects, but environmental damage from acid rain remains a significant issue.
Step-by-step explanation:
Canada is confronted with the challenge of acid rain primarily in its eastern provinces, such as Ontario and Quebec. These regions are hit hardest due to a combination of factors, including their proximity to the industrial activities in the United States and Canada that release sulfur and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. The prevailing wind patterns carry these pollutants from the densely populated and industrialized areas of the American Midwest and Ontario's own industrial sectors to the eastern parts of Canada, resulting in acid deposition. This process has led to extensive environmental damage, harming forests, fish populations in lakes, and contributing to the decline of Atlantic fisheries.
Acid rain is less of a problem in the Western and Central regions of Canada owing to the relatively fewer industrial activities and greater distances from the major sources of emissions. However, the issue of acid rain is not localized to just Canada; it’s a continental problem, where the interplay of environmental factors and human activities in one region can adversely affect ecosystems in another.
Regulations have been implemented both in Canada and the United States to limit sulfur and nitrogen oxides emissions, which have resulted in a significant reduction in the severity of acid rain effects. Nonetheless, the remnants of acid rain's past damage are a reminder of the continued need for stringent environmental policies.