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News Release

For immediate release
June 25, 2003

ONTARIO’S SMOG PATROL TARGETS SMOKING VEHICLES

TORONTO — The Ernie Eves government today kicked off its summer campaign of cracking down on grossly polluting vehicles to help improve air quality for the people of Ontario, Environment Minister Jim Wilson announced today.

The Smog Patrol, Ontario’s Vehicle Emissions Enforcement Unit, also introduced today a four-officer bicycle unit to work in congested city areas. In bumper-to-bumper traffic, the bicycle unit can quickly reach and pull over any vehicle suspected of being a gross polluter.

“The Smog Patrol continues to make a significant contribution to improving the air we breathe,” said Minister Wilson. “Our new bicycle unit will enhance our ability to take grossly polluting cars off the road. The Smog Patrol is having a positive impact on air quality: one dirty car can produce 20 times as much pollution as one properly maintained vehicle.”

Ministry of the Environment’s bicycle unit was launched in conjunction with Pollution Probe’s Clean Air Commute. Hundreds of workplaces in the Greater Toronto Area are participating in this annual, week-long event aimed at encouraging people to use cleaner modes of transportation when traveling to and from work.

While the Smog Patrol operates year-round, poorer air quality in the province often occurs during the summer months due to the combination of higher temperatures and smog-causing pollutants. More than 50 per cent of Ontario’s smog problem is due to pollutants blown in from the United States; however, emissions from grossly polluting vehicles within Ontario exacerbate poor air quality.

“Vehicles are one of Ontario’s largest domestic sources of smog-causing pollutants,” said Wilson. “I urge all drivers to keep their vehicles in good working order. It really can make a difference to Ontario’s environment and our quality of health.”

The Smog Patrol monitors highways and roads throughout the province. Last year the Eves government increased the unit’s staff complement to 30 full-time positions, enhancing the team’s ability to inspect polluting vehicles. The team of uniformed officers inspects trucks, buses and light-duty vehicles (passenger cars, SUVs, pickup trucks) that are suspected of being gross emitters of smog-causing pollutants. Since 1998, the unit has inspected over 17,000 light-duty vehicles and over 4,500 heavy-duty vehicles, and has issued more than 3,900 tickets.  

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Contacts:

Amanda Kusick Minister’s Office (416) 314-5454

Deborah Cope Communications Branch (416) 314-6591