Cherise Burda, Director of Sustainable Transportation for the Pembina Institute, made the following statement in response to the federal vehicle emission regulations announced today:
"These regulations help to get Canada on track to reduce its transportation emissions. But with Canada's fleet of vehicles already more efficient than the U.S., these regulations are unlikely to begin reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Canada before 2012. And this announcement does not apply to freight trucks — a significant omission when freight emissions have nearly doubled since 1990.
"Transportation is responsible for one-quarter of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions, and fuel efficiency standards are just one piece of that puzzle. So while Canada has matched the U.S. on regulations for passenger vehicles, it is not matching the level of federal support that the Obama administration has announced for public transit and vehicle efficiency. This year, President Obama asked for nearly $13 billion in new sustainable transportation spending, while our analysis of the 2010 budget in Canada found zero new sustainable transportation spending."
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The Pembina Institute is a national, non-partisan sustainable energy think tank.
For more information, contact:
Cherise Burda
Director, Transportation Program
The Pembina Institute
Cell: 416-824-0256
Office: 416-644-1016