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Notes for remarks

by

The Honourable Laurel Broten
Minister of the Environment

2005 Ontario Trucking Association Convention (Toronto)
“Announcing Drive Clean Reforms”

Toronto Congress Centre
Toronto, ON
Friday, November 18, 2005

(Check against delivery)

Good afternoon, everyone.

I’m delighted to join you here today at the 2005 Ontario Trucking Association Convention.

Your conference theme – “Expanding Our Horizons” – is timely – at least, in terms of the environment, it certainly seems so.

This is a time when we face challenges that force us to think creatively and push our own boundaries.

One person who has clearly adapted to the challenge is Dennis Hull. (Note: Motivational speaker Dennis Hull was a featured speaker at the convention.)

He has opened up new horizons for himself after finishing a great career in a sport with a mercilessly young “retirement” age. In fact, his nephew Brett just retired at the ripe old age of 41!

It’s time also for Ontario’s Drive Clean program to change. Today, I want to talk about how it is doing just that.

In just a few moments, I will outline new Drive Clean reforms that reflect the importance we place on reducing emissions from all vehicles, including trucks, buses and other heavy-duty vehicles.

First, I want to talk about air quality -- why strong protections are needed to ensure the health of our families, neighbours and communities.

The truth is that – unless it’s a hot, hazy and smoggy day – air pollution can be invisible to us. But we feel its effects. What we can’t see can hurt us.

Our government recognizes that threats to our air are serious. They pose a direct threat to public health, to our economy and to our way of life.

Our government cannot and will not accept these threats.

That is why we are delivering real, positive change to protect our air.

Notre gouvernement reconnaît que la qualité de l’air est menacée et que ces menaces sont graves. Ces menaces ont des répercussions sur la santé publique, sur notre économie et sur notre mode de vie.

Notre gouvernement ne peut pas et ne veut pas accepter ces menaces.

C’est la raison pour laquelle nous apportons des changements concrets et positifs pour protéger la qualité de l’air.

We are taking action on the key contributors to smog and other forms of air pollution.

I am proud of all that we have achieved.

In August I announced tough, new standards for 40 air pollutants. It was the most single significant update of our standards in 25 years.

This marked the fulfillment of our five-point plan for cleaner air, which includes strict caps on the largest industrial sources of emissions that contribute to smog.

We are also taking major steps to reduce the electricity sector’s contribution to smog and air pollution. We are phasing out coal-fired plants and replacing them with cleaner, greener energy sources.

We are investing in public transit to help people reduce airborne emissions by their choice of transportation.

We have filed a regulation to require a province-wide average of five per cent ethanol in gasoline to help improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gases.

And our vehicle emissions testing program is making sure that when we drive, we drive clean.
In the Throne Speech, we said we’d make Drive Clean better for the environment and better for Ontarians. We meant it.

Earlier today, at Central Tech High School, where the kids in the auto mechanics program are winning international competitions, I announced a series of reforms to the Drive Clean program.

And now I would like to highlight some major changes.

First, emissions testing will be required for renewing registrations for vehicles that are five years old or older.

This covers both heavy-duty trucks and buses, as well as light-duty vehicles. Before, vehicles were exempt until they were three years old.

This change is reasonable because new technologies mean very low failure rates for new vehicles taking Drive Clean tests.

These changes simply makes sense. The purpose of Drive Clean is to reduce the number of polluting vehicles on the road. So we’re starting to shift our focus, our time, energy and resources from the vehicles that are least likely to pollute to those that are most likely to pollute.

Also, we are strengthening compliance measures to make it an offence under the Environmental Protection Act to create, distribute or use false Drive Clean passes and we are putting in play greater authority to decertify emissions inspectors who commit these offences.

These changes take effect January 1, 2006. This means that, as of January 1, if your truck – or any other vehicle you drive – is less than five years old, you don’t need to get a Drive Clean test for registration renewal.

The changes I have outlined and other proposed changes are being posted on the Environmental Bill of Rights Registry for 60 days and I encourage you to review the proposal and provide your input. We look forward to hearing from you.

One thing we have already heard loud and clear is that new engine technologies and low-sulphur diesel fuels are reducing harmful emissions from newer heavy-duty vehicles.

The trucking industry tells us that the exemption to five years will impact about 30,000 trucks and result in cost savings to the trucking industry that will be close to $5 million in both test fees and lost time.

And I am certain these savings will be most welcome at a time when it’s costing you more than ever to fill the tank and insure your vehicles.

It’s also great news for every business that depends on trucking in this province and we know there are many and your hard work each and every day keeps our economy moving – literally.

But a licence to own a vehicle is not a licence to pollute.

All Ontario vehicles must be safe for the road and safe for the air.

That’s good for all of us – for our families, our communities and for the economic strength of our great province.

I am very optimistic that, together, we can continue to make Ontario’s heavy-duty vehicles even better environmental performers.

Nous en bénéficions tous – c’est mieux pour les familles, pour les collectivités et pour l’économie de notre grande province.

Je suis très optimiste et je crois que nous pouvons, ensemble, poursuivre les efforts afin de rendre les véhicules lourds de l’Ontario plus performants du point de vue environnemental.

You have already adapted to emissions standards that are among the most stringent in North America.

And you have taken good advantage of incentives in the form of emissions test exemptions based on meeting an even stricter standard.

I look forward to working with partners like the Ontario Trucking Association to keep improving Ontario’s air and providing a better, cleaner future for all of us.

Thank you.

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