Provincial government strengthening emissions testing
Published December 4, 2019 at 11:23 pm
The provincial government is implementing a new emissions testing program in Ontario, the province says.
According to the province, this new program will reduce smog-causing pollutants and protect the environment.
The province’s biggest polluters–such as commercial trucks and buses–will be impacted the most by this new program, which will strengthen emission testing standards for heavy diesel commercial motor vehicles, make it illegal to sell devices that interfere with or disable emissions control systems, and enable stronger on-road enforcement of emission standards for both light and heavy vehicles.
“Today, we are following through on our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan commitment to hold the biggest polluters on our roads accountable with an enhanced emissions testing program for commercial trucks and buses,” Jeff Yurek, Minister of the Environment, Conservation, and Parks, said in a news release.
“Reducing emissions from heavy diesel commercial motor vehicles is one more step in our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan to hold polluters accountable while ensuring Ontario businesses remain competitive,” he continued.
According to the release, from 2014 to 2018, nearly half–47 per cent–of all heavy vehicle emissions violations in Ontario included a violation for tampering with the vehicle’s emission system.
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Further, to improve convenience and reduce costs, the program will be merged with the existing annual safety Motor Vehicle Inspection Station program in 2021. This would allow owners of heavy diesel commercial vehicles to get both tests at the same time and location.
“By combining the emissions and safety inspection into one digital-based test, we are making life easier and more convenient for owners of heavy-duty diesel commercial trucks and buses,” Kinga Surma, Associate Minister of Transportation, said in the same release.
“The Ontario government is working to keep our roads safe and environment clean while saving taxpayers time and money as we make government services more effective and convenient as part of our plan to grow Ontario’s economy,” she added.
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