Partnership with the STO - CLEAR THE AIR! now in the Outaouais region - Six
months' worth of public transit for free, plus other rewards, for your old
"clunker"

GATINEAU, QC, Sept. 16 /CNW Telbec/ - Following in the wake of Quebec City and Montreal , the Clear The Air! vehicle recycling program has now been extended to the Outaouais region, upon signature of a partnership agreement with the Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO).

Residents in this region who own a 1995 or earlier model year vehicle can now have it recycled in an eco-friendly fashion, in exchange for six months' worth of public transit passes or credits toward a bicycle or an electric scooter purchase, as well as discounts on the Communauto car-sharing service.

Air Quality

"The STO's participation in our Clear The Air! program will impact positively on air quality in the Outaouais region and expand the ranks of public transit supporters and those who favour more sustainable modes of travel," said André Bélisle, President of the Association québécoise de lutte contre la pollution atmosphérique (AQLPA) and Quebec manager of the national Retire Your Ride vehicle recycling program, which is financed by the government of Canada and run by the Clear Air Foundation.

"Unlike Ontario and our other neighbouring Canadian and American jurisdictions, Quebec has not yet established a mandatory motor vehicle inspection and maintenance program. As a result, a number of old clunkers - which would fail the test anywhere else - are still being driven in Quebec . As a result of the STO's commitment to this program, many of these vehicles will be removed from our roads," added Bélisle.

Rewards and Partners

Participants who opt for six months' worth of STO transit passes could also receive, as a bonus, a subscription to the Communauto car-sharing service, at a monthly cost of $8 .

In addition to the transit passes, Clear The Air! participants will be offered a choice of three rewards:

    
    - A credit of up to $490 on the purchase of a bicycle, an electric
      bicycle or an electric scooter
    - A $700 credit toward the purchase of an EVT electric motorcycle
      (available from Ecomoto)
    - $300 cash (if transit passes are not chosen)
    

For each transaction, the AQLPA will also issue a tax receipt in an amount ranging from $55 to $100 . Participants will, in addition, be helping a charitable organization through their support of the Quebec Branch of the Kidney Foundation of Canada , which has long been a partner of Clear The Air! All program participants will also be entitled to a discounted subscription to Communauto's Le Lièvre package.

To take part in the Clear The Air! program, simply visit www.cleartheairprogram.org or call 1-888-819-7330.

Negotiations with other partners are underway, so new rewards will be added as the program expands to cover all regions of Quebec . Clear The Air! is also working to develop a network of professional recyclers with a commitment to complying with the National Code of Practice for automotive recyclers, through which all recyclable components are recycled, and all parts that contain toxic products are safely disposed of.

The Objective: 20,000 Vehicles

Recycling 20,000 highly polluting vehicles across Quebec will serve to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) - the two primary pollutants comprising low-level ozone, a respiratory irritant and a key component of smog. The program also does its part to fight climate change and improve energy efficiency, while helping reduce energy consumption and emissions of carbon dioxide (CO(2)), the main greenhouse gas.

About Clear The Air! (www.cleartheairprogram.org) and the AQLPA

(www.aqlpa.com)

Clear The Air!, a recycling program for old, highly polluting vehicles, was launched in Quebec by the AQLPA in 2003. Its goal is to help improve air quality, fight climate change and encourage the public to favour more sustainable modes of transport. Since the spring of 2009, Clear The Air! has been a partner in the federal recycling program Retire Your Ride.

The AQLPA (Association québécoise de lutte contre la pollution atmosphérique), founded in 1982, is one of Quebec's oldest environmental groups. It has set itself a mandate of helping protect the air and the atmosphere surrounding our planet, in order to protect both human health and the Earth's ecosystems through awareness-building, education and consistent actions.

About the Retire Your Ride program - www.retireyourride.ca

The government of Canada has allocated $92 million over four years to the "Retire Your Ride" program, in order to help Canadians recycle their older, highly polluting vehicles and opt for sustainable means of transportation, with a view to reducing air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions. Retire Your Ride is a national program intended to ensure the efficient withdrawal of 1995 and older vehicles in an environmentally sound manner, with an intent to improve air quality, protect the environment and encourage the use of eco-friendly transportation means. Retire Your Ride is publicized nationally by the Clean Air Foundation, financed by the government of Canada and supported by a cross-country network of experienced regional partners and a network of call centres and auto recyclers.

For further information: Marie-José Bégin, [phone], www.cleartheairprogram.org, www.retireyourride.ca