Canada Continues to Align Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measures with the United States

"New measures will allow fuel savings of up to $8000 per year, per vehicle, by 2018."

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Feb. 25, 2013 /CNW/ - Today the Honourable Peter Kent, Canada's Environment Minister, announced final regulations to improve fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from new on-road heavy-duty vehicles and engines. This is another step in our plan to align our environmental regulations with the United States.

"With these tough new measures, GHG emissions from 2018 model-year heavy-duty vehicles will be reduced by up to 23 per cent," said Minister Kent. "The regulations will also lead to improved fuel efficiency. For example, a semi-truck operator driving a 2018 model-year vehicle will save up to $8,000 per year in fuel."

The Regulations will establish progressively more stringent standards for 2014 to 2018 model-year heavy-duty vehicles such as full-size pick-ups, semi-trucks, garbage trucks and buses. The Regulations will remain in full effect for all subsequent model-year vehicles, which will be required to adhere to the 2018 standard, and will result in GHG reductions of 19.1 megatonnes over the lifetime of the 2014-2018 model-year vehicles.

"Our Government continues to align our measures with the United States," said Minister Kent." Since 2005, Canada has reduced its overall GHG emissions by 6.5%."

These regulations are another example of the success the Government of Canada is having working collaboratively with its partners in the United States to harmonize standards and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Government of Canada is committed to reducing Canada's GHG emissions, and has backed up that commitment by taking a number of measures. For example, we are:

• Implementing regulations to reduce GHGs from coal fired electricity plants, which will reduce GHGs by 214 megatonnes over the period 2015-2035. We expect that every coal fired plant in Canada that uses traditional technology will eventually be closed, with the first plants closing in the next few years.
• Consulting on regulations for cars and light trucks for model years 2017 to 2025. Our action to date will see GHGs from cars and light trucks fall by up to 50% by 2025 compared to 2008 models.
• Implementing regulations requiring 5% renewable fuel in gasoline.

For more information on Canada's action, consult our timeline.

For more information and to view a backgrounder on this announcement, please visit the Web site of Environment Canada at http://www.ec.gc.ca/.

Related Information:

• Canada Continues to Align Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measures with the United States (Backgrounder)
• Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement

(Également offert en français)

SOURCE: Environment Canada

For more information, please contact:

Rob Taylor
Office of the Minister of the Environment
819-997-1441

Media Relations
Environment Canada
819-934-8008

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