The Government of Ontario today made a landmark announcement at Carmen Transportation Group’s North York terminal that will make Ontario a leader in enforcing truck emissions while eliminating the use of delete kits and emissions tampering in the province.
The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) was joined by the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), Jeff Yurek, along with associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction, Prabmeet Sarkaria, and associate Minister of Transportation, Kinga Surma, to announce the creation of a new integrated emissions and annual safety testing program.
The new regulations – which will be phased in by June of 2021 – will align environmental testing of trucks’ emissions control systems with the Ministry of Transportation’s (MTO) Periodic Mandatory Commercial Vehicle Inspection requirement. The combined safety and emissions inspections would be required annually, starting when a vehicle is first registered in Ontario. The test will be done through an electronic-based system, taking place at one location with one digital result being produced.
“Environmental compliance is a top priority for our company. This program will reduce red tape on our business and effectively target non-compliant trucking companies that tamper with their emissions and ensure those who pollute in our province are held accountable for their actions,” said OTA Board member Vince Tarantini, president, Carmen Transportation Group.
OTA is also working with MTO and MECP to ensure that annual inspections – which include anti-tampering checks – are electronically linked so that MTO and MECP officers will be able to determine at roadside the technician and facility which last inspected/passed the vehicle for which tampering was discovered.
Earlier this year, MECP were given new enforcement powers at roadside that allows inspectors to pull plates from tampered heavy-duty vehicles, regardless of plated jurisdiction. MTO and MECP are working towards training MTO enforcement officers to enforce tampering rules as well. A new vehicle emissions regulation for Jan. 1, 2020 will also make it illegal to manufacture, sell, and install tampering devices in the province of Ontario. For the first time in Ontario, those who enable environmentally, non-compliant trucking operators will face significant consequences.
“OTA would like to applaud Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks, Jeff Yurek, associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction, Prabmeet Sarkaria, and associate Minister of Transportation, Kinga Surma for their leadership in combatting emissions and non-compliance from our sector,” said OTA Chair David Carruth.
“As a small business owner, servicing and maintaining a truck is a necessary cost of doing business. The Government of Ontario is not only reducing red tape on my business, they are ensuring that all fleets operating in Ontario are doing so on a level playing field, and not using environmental non-compliance as part of their business strategy.”
OTA would like to thank OTA member Carmen Transportation Group for organizing the event.
