The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) is urging the Government of Canada to adopt a pragmatic and coordinated response following the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent proposal to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding – the foundational authority for U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) regulation under the Clean Air Act.
Repealing the Endangerment Finding would effectively eliminate the legal basis for EPA GHG emission standards for vehicles, including planned Phase III heavy‑duty truck emissions standards.
CTA has long cautioned that Canadian environmental mandates – especially those targeting heavy trucks – must reflect the realities of market conditions, vehicle manufacturing, and North American supply chains. With the U.S. now moving away from GHG Phase III, Canada risks a regulatory divergence that could disrupt commerce and put Canadian fleets at a competitive disadvantage.
“Canadian trucking operates within an integrated North American market. When regulatory frameworks deviate from those in the U.S., Canadian fleets and OEM partners face unnecessary cost pressures and uncertainty,” said CTA President and CEO Stephen Laskowski.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has been made aware on challenges outlined in the Alliance’s white paper with Pollution Probe, which highlighted technological, economic, and operational hurdles associated with decarbonizing heavy trucks across Canada.
CTA has also emphasized that Phase II GHG regulations have already created significant strain for some fleets – particularly in vocational sectors critical to infrastructure and economic growth – and that Phase III would intensify these challenges without clear market alignment.
With the U.S. EPA moving to withdraw heavy-duty GHG regulations, the CTA is urging Ottawa and Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Julie Dabrusin, to consider the following recommendations to ensure market and industry stability:
- Align regulations as closely as possible with the U.S. EPA to maintain competitiveness and consistency on both sides of the border.
- Develop a regulatory framework that accounts for current industry conditions and operational realities.
- Consult with OEMs and carriers to identify feasible, cost-effective technologies and operational measures that can reduce emissions beyond additional regulatory requirements.
- Promote alternative fuels and transitional technologies as potential solutions that reduce emissions without compromising operational viability, supporting a balanced transition to cleaner transportation.
CTA has continued to reiterate to federal officials that the elimination of EPA carbon regulations does not signal an abandonment of emissions reduction goals for the industry, which will continue to advocate for realistic and operationally practical decarbonization options for fleets. Alternatively, this decision presents an opportunity to construct a regulatory pathway that delivers meaningful results for the environment and the economy.
“The Government of Canada now faces a critical policy test,” Laskowski added. “If Canada is serious about growth and productivity, it must work collaboratively with industry by balancing environmental objectives with operational and economic feasibility.”