The following is a notice from Transport Canada regarding GHG emission standards for on-road heavy-duty vehicles and engines of the 2014 and later model years:
In March 2013, the Government of Canada published the Heavy-Duty Vehicle and Engine Greenhouse Gas Emission Regulations (the Regulations) under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999). These Regulations are a key element of the Government’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Canada. They establish GHG emission standards for on-road heavy-duty vehicles and engines of the 2014 and later model years, in alignment with the U.S. national standards. The standards become increasingly more stringent over the 2014-18 model years.
The Regulations apply to companies manufacturing and importing new on-road heavy-duty vehicles and engines of the 2014 and later model years for the purpose of sale in Canada. This includes the whole range of on-road heavy-duty full-size pickup trucks, vans, tractors, recreational vehicles and buses, as well as a wide variety of vocational vehicles such as freight, delivery, service, cement, and dump trucks. The Regulations also include provisions that establish compliance flexibilities which include a system for generating, banking and trading emission credits.
A Canadian engine or vehicle manufacturer is a person or company in Canada who, before sale of the first retail purchaser:
- manufactures an engine or vehicle from raw parts,
- modifies equipment on the engine or takes part, along with other manufacturers, in the process of manufacturing a vehicle in stages,
- modifies an engine, alters a vehicle that was in conformity to the Regulations in such a manner that its stated type, mentioned on the vehicle compliance label, is no longer accurate, or
- changes any of the components on a vehicle that may alter the value of a parameter used in the GEM computer simulation model.
The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Model (GEM) is a free, desktop computer application that estimates the GHG emissions and fuel efficiency performance of specific aspects of heavy-duty vehicles.
Under these Regulations, starting with the 2014 model year, a company must submit an end of model year report no later than June 30 of the calendar year after the model year for which the report is made.
If you are an importer working with a manufacturer, you may consult with them to determine if they will be reporting the products in their report; this would avoid any duplication of effort as each imported item only needs to be reported once. It is also possible to enter into a reporting agreement with original equipment manufacturers regarding reporting requirements provided that Environment Canada is informed of such an agreement.
The Regulations set out, in section 17, a provision for a company that manufactures or imports a small volume of vocational vehicles and tractors. A company has the option to exempt its vocational vehicles and tractors of a given model year, provided that the company was a small volume company before the Regulation came into force and is still such for the model year in question. A company is considered small volume company under the Regulations if it meets the following criteria:
- The company manufactured or imported in Canada less than 200 vocational vehicles and tractors in 2011; and
- Its average number of vocational vehicles and tractors manufactured or imported for sale in Canada for the three most recent consecutive model years preceding the model year it is exempted is also less than 200.
When a company elects to use this exemption, it is not exempted from the Regulations. Engines in these vehicles are still required to comply with the applicable emission standards of the Regulations. The company must also provide a simplified end of model year report.
You may consult the following table that provides a summary of the responsibilities for the different types of persons who have obligations under the Regulations.
| Summary of Regulatory Requirements | Importer of engine or vehicle for the purpose of sale | Importer of engine or vehicle for personal use (i.e. not for sale) | Canadian manufacturer of vehicles or engines | Distributor of Canadian vehicles or engines |
| Affix the national emissions mark |
x |
x |
||
| Supply vehicles or engines that comply with emission standards |
× |
x |
x |
x |
| Provide evidence of conformity |
x(1) |
|
x |
x(1) |
| Submit annual end of model year report |
x(1) |
x |
x(1) |
|
| Provide Import declaration |
x |
x (if more than 10 vehicles/engines) |
x |
|
| Ensure prescribed label is affixed to the engine or vehicle |
x |
x |
x |
x |
| Provide maintenance instructions |
x(1) |
x |
x(1) |
|
| Cause notice of defect to be given, if necessary |
x(1) |
x |
x(1) |
|
| Ensure the engine bears a unique identification number |
x |
x |
x |
x |
(1) The company may arrange with the vehicle or engine manufacturer that certain required information be provided by the vehicle or engine manufacturer on behalf of the company.
You may also consult Environment Canada’s website at http://ec.gc.ca/lcpe-cepa/eng/regulations/detailReg.cfm?intReg=214 for the full text of the regulations and links to further guidance document once finalized. Environment Canada is also exploring the interest for webinars that would assist regulates in understanding regulatory requirements. Should you be interested in participating in one session kindly notify VehicleandEngineinfo@ec.gc.ca.
Should you have any questions or require clarification, please contact the Regulatory Administration Section at (819) 956-5941 or VehicleandEngineInfo@ec.gc.ca