Canada to set mandatory vehicle fuel standards
By Juliet O'Neill, Canwest News ServiceApril 1, 2009 11:02 AM
OTTAWA — The federal government will set mandatory fuel standards on cars and light trucks that are harmonized with current and future U.S. fuel regulations aimed at curbing carbon emissions, Environment Minister Jim Prentice announced Wednesday.
The regulations, replacing voluntary standards on Canadian automakers, will be in place next spring, in time for 2011 model year vehicles, and will be harmonized with future American standards, he said.
The U.S. national fuel economy standards for 2011 models, announced by President Barack Obama last week, are an average 27.3 miles (43.9 kilometres) per gallon. That's 30.2 miles per gallon for cars and 24.1 miles per gallon for light trucks.
"Some people may say that this is the worst possible time to introduce new automobile emission standards," Prentice said in an address to the Economic Club of Canada.
" The economy is shrinking. People are uncertain about the future, and they're staying out of the automobile showrooms. Two of the major North American automakers have requested government support. Wouldn't new emissions standards provide one more straw on that poor camel's back?
"I would argue the opposite. I believe that, to survive and to thrive, the North American automakers must build the cars of the future — cars that leave less of a carbon footprint. That is the way forward for the North American automotive industry."
Canada produced 721 megatonnes of greenhouse gases in 2006, more than a quarter of that from transportation. About half the transportation emissions are from cars and light trucks.
The standards will be set through regulations under the Canadian Environment Protection Act rather than the Motor Vehicle Fuel Consumption Standards Act as previously indicated by the government.
"We do not have the luxury of time," Prentice said. "We are moving immediately on these measures."
The government will formally start consulting stakeholders soon and plans to public the regulations this fall with final regulations due out next spring.
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http://www.calgaryherald.com/Cars/Ca...338/story.html
New vehicles in 2011 have to meet the fuel economy standard :
7.8L/100km for cars
9.8L/100km for light trucks